What are you reading in 2023?

[Eyes of Nine]

Oh man, I have read a couple very strong graphic novels recently.

Black Cloak Vol 1 Procedural detective story in the last city on earth after a horrific magic war. Humans, Dracona (dragon folk I guess?), Elves, and sundry other species all living in tense equipoise. Until of course the crown prince is murdered, and the Black Cloaks are called in to solve the crime. Complication - the lead investigator Black Cloak also happens to have been his fiancee... 5 stars, A++, Highly recommend

What's the Furthest Place from Here? Vol 2 Second in this post-apocalyptic series of gangs of youth in an unnamed city. Can't talk about it too much without spoiling vol 1. However suffice to say a worthy second volume that reveals more about the spooky area but also raises A LOT of questions

 

[overgeeked]

Finished Mushoku Tensei light novel Vol 3 and jumped right to Vol 4. These things are addictive. The MC was a problematic mess from the start, but he's somehow getting worse. Still really love the writing, worldbuilding, and magic systems.

 

[trappedslider]

Read Percy Jackson "The Chalice of the Gods" by Rick Riordan in one night, it was good imo. Short, but that was okay. Lots of cute little interactions between Percy and Annabeth.

 

[ichabod]

Finished reading the Vatta's War series by Elizabeth Moon. Pretty good military sci-fi with some business bits and characters good enough to keep me sucked in.

 

[Zaukrie]

Finished reading the Vatta's War series by Elizabeth Moon. Pretty good military sci-fi with some business bits and characters good enough to keep me sucked in.

I've only read her fantasy....I should look at these

 

[ichabod]

Read Bill Watterson's new book with John Kasct: The Mysteries. The art is nothing like Calvin & Hobbes, but it is quite evocative and very fitting for the story. And there are bits of Watterson's old humor, and the philosophy/punch line seems to fit with some of Watterson has said about his resistance to selling Hobbes dolls. However, as a children's story for adults, there's not a lot to it for $20.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Lately, a lot of classic horror short stories

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Finished Williamson's Darker Than You Think. Decent, though the twist at the end is visible a mile away and the pseudo-scientific explanations blunt the horror.

Now I'm reading "Harry Adam Knight's" The Fungus.

 

[overgeeked]

Still going with Mushoku Tensei. Finished Vol 4 and moved on to Vol 5. I caught up with and passed the point I was in the anime so it’s nice to be surprised by the story again. I know Rudeus is a sex pest. It’s a defining part of his character, but it’s wearing so thin. I’m glad the anime toned down some aspects of this but it makes reading the original light novels a bit hard. I’m hoping for some kind of time jump to make it at least a bit less creepy. Still absolutely love the worldbuilding and magic systems.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Read v1 of Umbrella Academy GNs. Ok enough for me to move onto v2, which is good because I already own it.

Finally finished all the Craft novels by Max Gladstone - up through Dead Country, v1 of the trilogy The Craft Wars. I really do like these novels, and it feels like Tara Abernathy is coming into her own as the dominant protagonist in the series. I did like in Ruin of Angels a new set of allies/protagonists were introduced - Kai Kavekana's sister Ley.

I recommend the entire series

Next up, Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow

Also, organizing my "to-buy" book list. Taking it out of Storygraph and into a google sheet - for ease of use and maintenance...