[Jan05] What are you reading?

[Andrew D. Gable]

The Hour of the Dragon by Robert E. Howard. It's within Bloody Crown of Conan, but it's a book in its own right, so bah!

Next up, I too will start my first foray into The Black Company.

Picked up Ancient Sorceries and Other Weird Stories by Algernon Blackwood, so I'll likely be doing some weeding through that.

 

[Starman]

I got Song of Susannah for Christmas and I've asked for The Dark Tower for my birthday (in 8 days). So, I've started the whole series over in anticipation. I just finished The Gunslinger Revised and I'm starting The Drawing of the Three.

In anticipation of a Midnight game that I might be starting, I have also been rereading the core book for that.

Starman

 

[Jdvn1]

Xenocide, Orson Scott Card.

I'm addicted to that series, but afterwards I'll be reading the Circle series by Ted Dekker. Which might actually make for a good D&D game now that I think of it...

 

[haiiro]

Xenocide, Orson Scott Card.

Have you read the books in the Bean arc (Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets)?

 

[Jdvn1]

Have you read the books in the Bean arc (Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets)?

No, not yet. That's also scheduled for after the Circle series. The idea of Bean's arc is interesting, but so much so that I'd jump for it. Ender was the coolest character in the first book, I think, and I'm fine with leaving it like that. Bean can wait.

How is that arc, though? I've heard mixed reviews.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I just finished Stephen King's The Dark Tower. Also read both volumes of Legends, though I only read some of the stories... for instance, I skipped GRRM's stories because I haven't read any but the first book, and that a long time ago.

Right now I'm debating what to read next. It was going to be The Black Company, based on several recommendations from here, but to my great surprise no library in Onondaga County has the first book. I'm going to order it from Amazon and donate it when I'm done with it, but in the mean time I've wanted to start something new. I'm debating between Pratchett, whom I've only read a couple of random books of but liked a whole lot, and LeGuin, who I've heard praised here, and whose short story in Legends I liked a lot. I guess it depends what my library has...

 

[CCamfield]

I used some Christmas money to order Warfare in the Classical World by John Warry. Looks a bit introductory for me as I've read quite a bit, but it's a handsome book and I look forward to it.

I'm currently re-reading Aaron Allston's Doc Sidhe, which for those who don't know it is a fun fantasy/30s pulp blend. Come to think of it, it's one of the books available for free in the Baen Free Library.

Before that I got caught up with Martha Wells, with The Ships of Air. This is book 2 of a trilogy and I was more satisfied with this one as the story is moving along nicely and more things became revealed. I look forward to the conclusion.

LightPhoenix, it's possible that your library will have LeGuin's Earthsea books, at least the first 3, filed under Young Adult. I would be astounded if they don't have them at all. Ignore the filing, if they're in YA and read 'em... they're excellent. So is Pratchett, of course. Either way you should have good reading ahead!

(Come to think of it, the Ottawa Public Library filed Pratchett under Young Adult too.)

 

[Thanee]

Sorry, did my question step on your sensitivity button or easily offended button or whatever it is people have nowadays? I was curious on how Krug liked the books, they are not to everyone's taste and sometimes a bit of a shock to people used to Tolkien-esque fantasy. Not really roll eyes worthy to me, but it seems to have caused an issue of reactivity. It's ok, you will be fine.

I actually have no idea what Thanee's eye rolling is directed at. I think that's one of the reasons that emoticon was taken out in the last version of the boards -- not sure why it's back, actually.

I'm sorry, I guess it was a bit too subtle...

Just click on the smilie and you will hopefully find out what I meant.

Bye
Thanee

 

[hellbender]

I'm sorry, I guess it was a bit too subtle...

Just click on the smilie and you will hopefully find out what I meant.

Bye
Thanee

Gotcha. My apologies. I didn't realize it was a link as well. I seem to have triggered my own jump to conclusions button.

 

[haiiro]

No, not yet. That's also scheduled for after the Circle series. The idea of Bean's arc is interesting, but so much so that I'd jump for it. Ender was the coolest character in the first book, I think, and I'm fine with leaving it like that. Bean can wait.

How is that arc, though? I've heard mixed reviews.

Mine may not be the best opinion to ask -- apart from the concepts (loved the idea of the Speaker for the Dead), I hated the Ender arc. I don't even think I followed it to completion, after finding Xenocide really disappointing.

The Bean arc is pretty nifty, IMO. Ender's Shadow crosses the line into "I'll make it look like this was what I meant when I wrote Ender's Game," but it's still a pretty good book. And Bean is an interesting character.

Most of his conclusions about what would happen after the Battle School grads return to Earth seem sound, and the next two books are both pretty good -- a lot of politics, a little war, and oodles of character development for Bean, Peter and Achilles.