So what are you reading this year 2021?

[Nellisir]

New year, new thread.
Between my gf and myself I got The Expanse RPG; Deep Magic; and The Compendium of Forgotten Secrets: Awakening for RPG books so far, so that's what I've been occupied with. Really impressed by all of them.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

I've been reading the Sandman Slim novels. I'm not sure how much I like them. They are ok, and I like the punk rock attitude of the main character; but often I find the interrelationships between everyone confusing. I'm 5 books in; and while indeed there was a long break between me reading 1&2 and 3-5 recently, there are a lot of characters who come back that I'm like - uh, is that person important?

Just started 1st book of Murderbot Diaries. Looking forward to it, have heard good things.

 

[Zaukrie]

A Song for Arbonne. He's the best writer.....

 

[AcererakTriple6]

I'm currently reading the Arc of a Scythe series by Neil Shusterman. I'm on the third and final book, and the series is a really good read. It contains a very unique and realistic utopic world. I definitely recommend it.

 

[GreyLord]

Well, last year I set out to read the Neuromancer series and the Wheel of Time series. Finished the First easy, didn't finish the second. Got bogged down by Wheel of Time but managed to eek out finishing Book 11. Started Book 12 (the Gathering Storm) over Christmas and it's actually moving a LOT faster (or at least a lot more fun reading it) and already 2/3 of the way through. Figure I'll actually finish the WoT series this year, if the last few books are like Book 12, probably within the next month.

After that, perhaps Redwall. I've also gotten several history books to refresh my memory on the History of Great Britain (so, not just Britain, but England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales with various books detailing the history of each).

 

[Nellisir]

I've been reading the Sandman Slim novels. I'm not sure how much I like them. They are ok, and I like the punk rock attitude of the main character; but often I find the interrelationships between everyone confusing. I'm 5 books in; and while indeed there was a long break between me reading 1&2 and 3-5 recently, there are a lot of characters who come back that I'm like - uh, is that person important?

Just started 1st book of Murderbot Diaries. Looking forward to it, have heard good things.

I felt basically the same way about Sandman Slim. It's fine, but honestly Mike Carey's series is a lot better.

Murderbot IS THE BEST!!!!

 

[Eyes of Nine]

The books I got for Christmas...
Piers Anthony Macroscope
EL Doctorow Ragtime
Barry Hughart Bridge of Birds

Just finished Murderbot Diaries vol 1 All Systems Red and super enjoyed it.

 

[Nellisir]

The books I got for Christmas...
Piers Anthony Macroscope
EL Doctorow Ragtime
Barry Hughart Bridge of Birds

Just finished Murderbot Diaries vol 1 All Systems Red and super enjoyed it.

Dude. Bridge of Birds. Number Ten Ox. Master Li has a slight flaw in his character.

Also, I'm currently reading Karen Memory, also by Elizabeth Bear. (I think I've been confusing her with Elizabeth Moon.) She is really good, and I am absolutely going to search out more of her books. Murderbot is so worth it.

 

[Nellisir]

I happened to be at the Book Warehouse yesterday. I don't exactly need more books, but I had to pick up my daughter in the outlet mall.... Turned out to be a major score.

Karen Memory, by Elizabeth Bear, which was on my Amazon shortlist.
Assassin's Fate, by Robin Hobb, which was on my Amazon shortlist.
The Edge of Worlds, by Martha Wells. I'm kinda meh on the Raksura books but I REALLY like everything else Martha Wells has done, so...
Agatha H and the Voice of the Castle, by Phil and Kaja Foglio. I've read the first book and enjoyed it, and..Phil Foglio. Can't go wrong.
Dragon Weather, by Lawrence Watt-Evans. I don't know this one, but I generally know of Lawrence Watt-Evans and I'm cool with taking a chance.

 

[Richards]

I finished Crooked River (which was good) and am now starting a rather lengthy novel by Pamela Sargent called Venus of Dreams. It's apparently a multigenerational saga about the future colonization of the planet Venus and has spawned a sequel or two. I don't recall having read anything of hers, but the back cover blurb sounded interesting and at 536 pages for a 50-cent paperback from a library book sale I'm getting quite the bargain if it's good.

Johnathan

 

[BookTenTiger]

I like to start each year by reading the Best American Short Stories for that year. I've just started this year's batch. My partner also got me a subscription to my local book store's book of the month... They always pick out really interesting new books! So right now I'm also reading a collection of rather surreal stories by Mexican writer Julián Herbert called Bring Me the Head of Quentin Tarantino.

On my pile of books to read this year I have The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehesi Coats, Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney, and others!

 

[Alzrius]

I'm finishing up one or two holdovers from last year, but I'm excited to start reading Jon Peterson's (the author of Playing at the World and co-author of Art & Arcana) new book The Elusive Shift: How Role-Playing Games Forged Their Identity (affiliate link).

 

[Mallus]

I just finished Agatha Christie's The Big Four. It's a short Hercule Poirot novel that reads like a child wrote a spy adventure while on cocaine. It's kinda terrible, but fun. I'm going to try her Death on the Nile next.

I'm also reading the new-ish translation of Lem's Solaris and Becky Chamber's 2nd Wayfarers book.

 

[Nellisir]

I like to start each year by reading the Best American Short Stories for that year. I've just started this year's batch. My partner also got me a subscription to my local book store's book of the month... They always pick out really interesting new books! So right now I'm also reading a collection of rather surreal stories by Mexican writer Julián Herbert called Bring Me the Head of Quentin Tarantino.

On my pile of books to read this year I have The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehesi Coats, Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney, and others!

That sounds like a pretty excellent mixture. I used to have dreams of being a Well-Rounded Reader and reading all kinds of Posh Lit'rit'chur, but genre fiction is way too much fun for me to do more than occasionally dabble elsewhere.

(A really good friend did get me a collection of Donald Hall's essays, but I'm not sure that counts because he only lived a few miles away and I drive by his old house fair often. So I'm inclined to read him anyways; he wrote about my world.)

Edit: I read Karen Memory. Not as good as Murderbot, but then, what is? Still a good read, particularly if you're a fan of Cherie Priest's historical steampunk work - it's the same playbook. 4/5
And because I can't walk into a used bookstore and NOT buy a book, and because I had exactly $1.85 in my pocket and it was exactly $1.85 after VT tax (TAXING BOOKS IS BLASPHEMY YOU HEATHEN HIPPY LOTUS ICE CREAM EATERS!!!!); I picked up Hawkmistress, by Marion Zimmer Bradley. A Darkover novel.

 

[Mallus]

I like to start each year by reading the Best American Short Stories for that year. I've just started this year's batch.

I remember when I used to do that! Nowadays I find I barely read short fiction. Last collection I read was Denis Johnson's The Largesse of the Sea Maiden - which was excellent, BTW.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I just finished Agatha Christie's The Big Four. It's a short Hercule Poirot novel that reads like a child wrote a spy adventure while on cocaine. It's kinda terrible, but fun. I'm going to try her Death on the Nile next.

I'm also reading the new-ish translation of Lem's Solaris and Becky Chamber's 2nd Wayfarers book.

Yeah, I was going through a real Agatha Christie kick, and The Big Four killed it for me. Definitely not her finest work.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I remember when I used to do that! Nowadays I find I barely read short fiction. Last collection I read was Denis Johnson's The Largesse of the Sea Maiden - which was excellent, BTW.

I love, love, love short fiction. I just read, back to back, two volumes of Alice Munro's short stories. As I said to a friend, somehow the quotidian lives of Canadian women is just the escapism I need right now.

I usually pick up the O'Henry Awards Short Stories for the year around now, but it looks like that collection has been delayed.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Well, last year I set out to read the Neuromancer series and the Wheel of Time series. Finished the First easy, didn't finish the second. Got bogged down by Wheel of Time but managed to eek out finishing Book 11. Started Book 12 (the Gathering Storm) over Christmas and it's actually moving a LOT faster (or at least a lot more fun reading it) and already 2/3 of the way through. Figure I'll actually finish the WoT series this year, if the last few books are like Book 12, probably within the next month.

After that, perhaps Redwall. I've also gotten several history books to refresh my memory on the History of Great Britain (so, not just Britain, but England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales with various books detailing the history of each).

That's the first of the Brandon Sanderson books. He paces really well, so it should go fast. Love Sanderson. My favorite living author. I haven't read Wheel of Time, though, so haven't read those.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Still reading Exploring Eberron by Keith Baker.

Still reading Searching for Bobby Fischer.

Finished reading Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher.

Finished reading The Last Threshold by R. A. Salvatore.

Finished reading The World of Critical Role: The History Behind the Epic Fantasy by Liz Marsham & the cast of Critical Role.

Still reading Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson.

Still reading Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance.

Started reading Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in America by Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard.

 

[Nellisir]

I want to say, I love the wide variety of books and reading people here engage in. I pay attention to what people read and enjoy (or not), and look for those books, even if they're outside my normal habits.