What are you reading in 2026?

[Voadam]

worth noting that GOTs POV characters are mostly added at the same time. Like as a reader we are already introduced to Cat before we get her first POV. In general a lot of POV characters is hard to pull of, but Martin absolutely delivered in that regard. I read GoT for the first time 2 years ago and was surprised by how good the craftmanship was.

Its been a while since I read them but don't the very later books introduce new POV characters?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

worth noting that GOTs POV characters are mostly added at the same time. Like as a reader we are already introduced to Cat before we get her first POV. In general a lot of POV characters is hard to pull of, but Martin absolutely delivered in that regard. I read GoT for the first time 2 years ago and was surprised by how good the craftmanship was.

The first three Song of Ice and Fire books are sharp indeed. As long as they are, as many characters as they have, you're still continually wondering what's going to happen next.

 

[Parmandur]

The first three Song of Ice and Fire books are sharp indeed. As long as they are, as many characters as they have, you're still continually wondering what's going to happen next.

I fell off after the fourth book...which for the record means I was into it before it was cool.

I actually co-facilitated a university class on the first three books when I was undergraduate largely because it was so hard to find other people who had read the books to talk about them.

 

[jian]

Finally got around to reading Redwall, the first of that series, by Brian Jacques. I was pretty much entirely unaware of these books growing up (I was probably too old for them - I was 11 when the first book came out) but since have been aware of them through geek media. I wonder if they were more popular in North America than in their native UK; the only TV/film adaptation I can see is American/Canadian.

Anyway, it was pretty good! Enjoyable, lots of interesting character writing and description - apparently Jacques wrote it while teaching visually impaired children and read bits out to them, so he really concentrated on sound/taste/smell descriptions, and it shows. Interestingly, the writing style reminds me of David Gemmell as much as anyone else, which sort of makes sense. And of course, I'm thinking, "this is where Mouse Guard and Mausritter come from, isn't it?" Recommended, might read a few others in the series.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I fell off after the fourth book...which for the record means I was into it before it was cool.

I actually co-facilitated a university class on the first three books when I was undergraduate largely because it was so hard to find other people who had read the books to talk about them.

To be fair, the series also fell off not long after that. If GRRM ever finishes Winds of Winter, I do wonder how it will be received. The genre has changed a whole lot in the 15 years and counting since the last book came out.

 

[Parmandur]

Finally got around to reading Redwall, the first of that series, by Brian Jacques. I was pretty much entirely unaware of these books growing up (I was probably too old for them - I was 11 when the first book came out) but since have been aware of them through geek media. I wonder if they were more popular in North America than in their native UK; the only TV/film adaptation I can see is American/Canadian.

Anyway, it was pretty good! Enjoyable, lots of interesting character writing and description - apparently Jacques wrote it while teaching visually impaired children and read bits out to them, so he really concentrated on sound/taste/smell descriptions, and it shows. Interestingly, the writing style reminds me of David Gemmell as much as anyone else, which sort of makes sense. And of course, I'm thinking, "this is where Mouse Guard and Mausritter come from, isn't it?" Recommended, might read a few others in the series.

Yes, the books are delightful.

 

[Parmandur]

To be fair, the series also fell off not long after that. If GRRM ever finishes Winds of Winter, I do wonder how it will be received. The genre has changed a whole lot in the 15 years and counting since the last book came out.

I have contrasting conspiracy theories: the first, which is probably just the simple truth, is thst he saw people's reactions to the show's ending, and lost any will to deliver it. The other, perhaps just wishful thinking, is that he is making good headway on finishing, but doesn't want them published until he is gone so he does not have to hear any of the reaction.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

I have contrasting conspiracy theories: the first, which is probably just the simple truth, is thst he saw people's reactions to the show's ending, and lost any will to deliver it. The other, perhaps just wishful thinking, is that he is making good headway on finishing, but doesn't want them published until he is gone so he does not have to hear any of the reaction.

Or he's lined up Patrick Rothfuss to write it, which would explain another late book...

 

[Umbran]

Right now, it is Network Effect, the fifth book in the Murderbot Diaries series, by Martha Wells

 

[Umbran]

Yes, the books are delightful.

I am playing in a Daggerheart/Tumbleweed game, in which my character is heavily inspired by Martin/Matthias.

(Orderborn Jerbeen Warrior following the Call of the Brave, for those who know the setting/system.)