[Oct 2015] What Are You Reading?

[delericho]

October already? Where is 2015 going?

Anyway, it's the usual thread: what are you currently reading? What are you reading next? And have you read anything interesting recently?

I'm now just about finished "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden, and also "Turn of the Torrent" (the latest Pathfinder AP). Next up will be the new Pathfinder Tale, and also "Out of the Abyss". And after that, who knows?

 

[Elodan]

Finished Skin Game by Jim Butcher and should finish Wake of the Bloody Angel by Alex Bledsoe tonight.

Both are excellent reads.

Next up is Forge of Ashes from the Pathfinder Tales line.

 

[amerigoV]

I am about half-way through Heroes by Joe Ambercrombie. Its interesting how he has mirrored both sides with types of people but differentiated them through the different cultures.

Plus the blood. Blood is good.

 

[Staffan]

The Aeronaut's Windlass, the first in Jim Butcher's new series. Swashbuckling, electro-/steampunk, and some hints of post-apocalypse stuff as well.

 

[Jhaelen]

I finished 'River of Gods' by Ian McDonald. I found the resolution a bit disappointing after all this build-up and massive ensemble. It's basically just rehashing ideas as old as the Neuromancer trilogy - and that was in 1984! I guess, all it did for me was renewing and confirming my respect for William Gibson's work.

I'm not yet sure what to read next. Probably 'Descent' by Ken MacCleod.

 

[Nellisir]

I finished 'River of Gods' by Ian McDonald. I found the resolution a bit disappointing after all this build-up and massive ensemble. It's basically just rehashing ideas as old as the Neuromancer trilogy - and that was in 1984! I guess, all it did for me was renewing and confirming my respect for William Gibson's work.

I'm not yet sure what to read next. Probably 'Descent' by Ken MacCleod.

I think River of Gods is pretty excellent (although you're right, the ending does push it a bit), but it's definitely a first cousin to Neuromancer. I don't think that automatically disqualifies it; Snow Crash is right in there too. You might check out Cyberad Days; it's a collection of short stories that expands on the setting and a number of the characters.

Thinking about it, I enjoy reading a number of books (if they're good!) that are "related". I should probably have a cyberpunk shelf. Neuromancer; Snow Crash; River of Gods; Altered Carbon; maybe Crossover, though that's getting a bit far out (and frankly, has just as much lineage to Hammers Slammers as Neuromancer).


I'm rereading Neuromancer, and Altered Carbon (another first cousin), and...a few other books. Altered Carbon is better than I remember, so I might move on to the next book.

 

[trappedslider]

The Big One by Stuart Slade

 

[megamania]

Still rereading and taking notes on Eberron novels. Filling in my Eberron Time Line

 

[Richards]

I just finished "Omnifix" by Scott MacKay. I picked it up at a library book sale based on a front-cover recommendation by Robert J. Sawyer, an author whose works I really enjoy. It turns out Robert is one of the people thanked by Scott in his dedication section, leading me to believe the two are probably part of the same Canadian writer's group. Which in turn leads me to a point of pure supposition: I'm guessing Robert really felt obligated to recommend this novel, because while it had some interesting ideas it took forever to really go anywhere and had about a 150-page "treading water" section up front that was really not that necessary.

Bottom line: I guess I got my 50 cents of value out of the thing, but just barely -- and I'm now forewarned to avoid anything else by the same author, because this was just too much of a slog to be that enjoyable.

Next up is a collection of short stories by various authors about time travel, almost guaranteed to be a mixed bag.

Johnathan

 

[Nellisir]

I'm rereading Neuromancer, and Altered Carbon (another first cousin), and...a few other books. Altered Carbon is better than I remember, so I might move on to the next book.

Finished Neuromancer last night. Honestly, it's amazing how well it stands up. It could've been written last year.

Hit the booksale this morning. Runs for 3 weekends, but I'll be away for the next two, so this was it. Got a pretty good haul.