What are you Reading? Noctilucent November 2019 edition

[Nellisir]

Especially about the one bolded. Could be interesting!

I'll get you an author soon. Right now it's in my, ah, "throne room". . It's interesting reading & fills in gaps in my knowledge. Could use more maps though.

 

[Nellisir]

Especially about the one bolded. Could be interesting!

It's A Brief History of the Normans: The Conquests that Changed the Face of Europe, by Francois Neveux, translated by Howard Curtis.

 

[Blue]

Near the end of Presto! by Penn Jillette. It's ostensibly about him losing 100 lbs, but it's more like a travelogue of interesting things he did during that time where food comes up, with various food-focused nuggets scattered about. He's vulgar, makes a ridiculously large number of sexual references, and is hugely entertaining in doing so.

It's the first book by him I've ever read, and he's a real character. I could read more by him - but I'd want a break first. His writing is turned up to 11 with anecdotes and such that tend to blur with too many close to each other.

As a diet book, it doesn't budge the needle. As a inspiration to diet, it is likely decent for the type that like him and are willing to try something radical. As a chapter in the life of Penn Jillette - ah, that's what this really is.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Finished Baptism of Fire. I enjoyed it quite a bit, much more than the previous four Witcher novels (I know, I keep reading them).

Next up is Andre Norton's Witch World. I've whiffed on Norton before in the past, but wanted to give her another try.

 

[Blue]

So it's been a long while since I finished a novel in a sitting, but that was tonight with Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours by Jim Butcher. Part of it was that the novel didn't let up, it just carried you along with it, pacing immaculate. Another part was the writers knowledge of our favorite web-slinger (go ahead, dare tell me you have a web-slinger you like more) that just rang true and deep. But the last ingredient is that our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is both smart and a smart-ass, and Jim Butcher is spot on at writing that combo, as his Dresden Files series shows.

Very entertaining. Oh, and for those who enjoy the MCU movies, the dialog for another character was so spot on that you would of had to work not to hear it in their voice. I'll leave out who - Spidey is known for his team-ups - so as not to spoil anything in case good sense overcomes you and you buy it immediately.

 

[Richards]

I finished Deadlock. Ugh. I cannot recommend it. The author somehow got it into her head to turn it into a love story, with the female archaeologist who was rescued by the CIA assassin falling for him and deciding to turn him around. She ended up being a Mary Sue - always right about everything - while he was willing to do anything she said because of his great love for her...no thanks. I thought I was reading an adventure thriller, not a love story. And the adventure part of it sucked - they never even found the MacGuffin they were supposed to be looking for, but that's okay because they found each other.... Just no. I'm striking Iris Johansen from my list of authors I'm willing to try - she had her chance and she blew it.

I'm now reading Dark Journey by A. R. Morlan. It's about a haunted carnival and it's a refreshing breath of fresh (actually, fetid and gloomy) air compared to the book I just plowed through out of sheer stubbornness.

Johnathan

 

[Kramodlog]

Latium by Romain Lucazeau. A uchronic post-human space opera. Basically, the Roman Empire in space, but humans are all dead and huge spaceships piloted by godlike AIs try to find meaning in to their existance. And their is an alien/barbarian invasion looming, but the AIs can'thurt them because of their program (think Asimov's Three Laws). Ambitious.

 

[Nellisir]

Just finished Great North Road, by Peter F Hamilton. Very good space opera. Not a light read; the book clocks in at about a thousand pages and I only finished the last 500 because I literally was able to spend the entire day doing nothing but reading. I read Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained a few months ago and liked those as well. I still favor Alistair Reynolds, but Hamilton is a very solid read.

I also read a bunch of Polity novels by Neal Asher recently. Same general space opera feel as Reynolds & Hamilton, but not the same level. Decent. If Reynolds is a 5, and Hamilton a 4.5, then Asher is probably a 3.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Currently reading two books. I'm about half through The Last Hero in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Unlike the others, this is a shorter and with gorgeous illustrations.

The other book that I'm reading while waiting for the next Pratchett book is Ron Chernow's biography of Ulysses S. Grant. It's an amazing look at a period in American history I'm not as familiar with, by the author who wrote the biography behind the musical Hamilton.

 

[Blue]

Latium by Romain Lucazeau. A uchronic post-human space opera. Basically, the Roman Empire in space, but humans are all dead and huge spaceships piloted by godlike AIs try to find meaning in to their existance. And their is an alien/barbarian invasion looming, but the AIs can'thurt them because of their program (think Asimov's Three Laws). Ambitious.

That sounds, if you'll pardon the repetition, refreshingly fresh. When you finish please let us know your thoughts and if you'd recommend it.