[July] What are you reading?

[Gilladian]

Recently read Gaiman's new book "The Ocean at the End of the Lane". Pretty good, though not his best. I thought it suffered for having originally been conceived as a short story; somehow it felt stretched, although it never dragged. Anyway, if you like anything else by Gaiman, I recommend it. If not, I would not start there; try "the Graveyard Book" instead. I think it is a more creative and overall better story.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Since the Wheel of Time series has finally finished, I started it over from the beginning. I just started Book 10 - Crossroads of Twilight. I think I gave up somewhere around Path of Daggers before, then forgot about the series when I learned Jordan passed away. However, once I saw that Sanderson had finished it, I decided to re-do the series from the beginning while I'm waiting for The Winds of Winter.

 

[Umbran]

Just started a re-read of GRRM's "Game of Thrones". I read it years ago, and set it aside as it looked like Martin was pulling the same game as Robert Jordan with never finishing.

But then, my wife went and read it, and wants to read more. So, I'm re-reading, so we can discuss the books more.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Just started a re-read of GRRM's "Game of Thrones". I read it years ago, and set it aside as it looked like Martin was pulling the same game as Robert Jordan with never finishing.

But then, my wife went and read it, and wants to read more. So, I'm re-reading, so we can discuss the books more.

There is a ton I didn't pick up on my first reading of A Game of Thrones. I didn't realize that in nearly every Ned Stark POV chapter, there is a flashback to "Promise me, Ned" - or, that one of the people who taught Mirri Maaz Duur healing was a Maester named Marwyn, who pops up in A Feast for Crows as an Archmaester. Or, that the guy who won the Hand's archery tournament was Anguy, who was later found in the Brotherhood without Banners.

 

[Nellisir]

Finished House of Silk. It was, as I said before, very Holmesian. If you like Doyle's stories, this is a good read. Also read The Janissary Tree, by Jason Goodwin, and The Winter Queen, by Boris Akunin. The former is set in 1836 in Istanbul; the latter in Moscow in 1876. So yeah, I'm on a bit of a 19th C. international crime/mystery kick. Both are the first book in a series; both are bestsellers, award-winners, etc, etc. Both are good and I'll look for more; neither blew me away - they're on my "look-for" list, but not the "must-buy" list. I don't think either was trying to break new ground. The Janissary Tree was probably slightly more enjoyable, but The Winter Queen was slightly more...intriguing? Very hard to reconcile the Russian authorship with the British/English colloquialisms in the text - I'm going to be stuck imagining all Russian peasants as speaking Cockney slang now. I'm assuming this was a weird artifact of translation, but really not sure. And hang on for the twist at the very end - it rewrites the whole tone of the book into something much more...Russian? Also cliffhanger? Drat. Tricksie authors.

Reading The Lost Army of Cambyses now. Paul Sussman. A Da Vinci Code-esque thriller, I think - a buried Persian army in the Sahara near Egypt, dead archaeologists, and a team-up between a cop and the snake-wrangling daughter of the dead archaeologist (I haven't got to the point where he's dead, but it says so on the back, and he didn't pick her up at the airport, so.....). Seems decent, and I thought it would take longer, but it's got a big font, so probably not.

Update: Ooo, he's dead now. Seemingly a stroke or heart attack, but there's an odor of cigars in his house, and he didn't smoke and didn't allow anyone else to do so around him. Oooo....

 

[stormwell]

Currently getting through the Tales of the Ketty Jay series by Chris Wooding.

Tis got a bit of everything so its hard to define it with a single genre, but if you liked the Firefly TV series then you'll probably like these books.

 

[Hishen]

got The vinci code today.. Reading after long time

 

[Elodan]

Finished
* Tricked by Kevin Hearne; great series, have the next two in my to be read pile.
* The Wizard's Mask a Pathfinder tales novel by Ed Greenwood, just OK, a little too long, too many bad guys and no real character development.

Currently reading
* Live and let Drood by Simon Green, the 6th book in the Secret Histories series. Fun read so far.

 

[Nellisir]

Finished The Lost Army of whats-his-face; great book to read if you don't care about remembering it the next day. 3/5.
Now reading Gallows Thief, by Bernard Cornwall. Really enjoying it. I like Sandman. He's pretty badass.

 

[Gilladian]

Just finished Anne Bishop's "Written in Red". Very good, if you like any of her stuff, you'll like it. Werewolves and vampires are NOT at all my normal reading material, but I read it because Bishop wrote it, and I wasn't disappointed.