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What are you reading these days?
What are you reading currently? Fiction or non-fiction or poetry, any genre, any language! Tell us what you're reading, and talk about it a bit.
What are you reading currently? Fiction or non-fiction or poetry, any genre, any language! Tell us what you're reading, and talk about it a bit.
The Dreaming Void. It's pretty good. Very Epic sci fi with lots of interesting ideas and details. Only downside is that it has a pretty old fashioned view on gender roles when it comes to sexuality. Not old fashioned at the fifties level or anything. But it's always the girls dressing up in skimpy outfits and proving that they're so open sexually. It's doing the world building great and succeeding in making following several characters fun which is something i don't normally enjoy.
Man, that brings me back.
I read the series for the first time back at the start of college when I was home sick over winter break and my mom grabbed me a couple of random thick as a brick scifi books from the library to read while I was hunkered down. They definitely have their flaws as you said, but it works better than the concept has any right to on paprt and the series has become the prototypical space opera in my head. I used to reread the whole series every year or two but I haven't touched them in ages, I really should but I'm kind of scared to ruin the fond nostalgia they have for me.
Oooh, Peter F Hamilton! Have you read any of the other Commonwealth books? There are seven in total, with shared characters such as Paula Myo.
I'm doing a reread of The Lord of the Rings (this time using the audiobook done by Andy Serkis which is excellent). After I finish that, I plan to tackle the Silmarillion again. I've read it once before, but didn't understand much. This time I feel much more prepared to follow along, afterwhich, I'd like to jump into Unfinished Tales. I'm in a bit of a Tolkien kick atm.
Never finished The Lord of the Rings. I actually have an ongoing deal with my friend that until I finish it, then I shouldn't call myself a "reader". It's been about decade since we started this. It took me a long time to finish Fellowship of the Ring. Mostly because I got derailed by the Tom Bombadil part. After that I finished the first book at a normal pace. I'm currently working my way through The Two Towers. So far, I just finished reading the chapter on Treebeard.
My particular problem with reading Tolkien is that he writes with so much detail (which isn't a bad thing!), and I am the kind of reader who wants to absorb it all and be able to fully envision it in my mind. That slowed me down too much. So this time, I've been reading it more casually. Not worrying if I can imagine it perfectly in my mind. I hope to finish The Two Towers this year. Then maybe The Return of the King as well. The Silmarillion, if I even get that far, will be reserved for next year.
I did read The Hobbit, and I had zero issues finishing it. Maybe the writing was less descriptive and easier to read? Whatever it was, I am more fond of The Hobbit because it didn't feel like a chore to read.
Just finished How Civil Wars Start by Barbara Walter on a trip and it was good but more than a bit depressing. It's not as if any of the info was really new, but seeing all the warning signs run down like a checklist is more than a bit disconcerting.
Recent (as in January) Reads:
Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree - Calling this cozy is basically required. If you like Legends and Lattes and want a prequel about Viv learning about how reading is a good time with just good vibes, it's enjoyable. Don't read it first as the epilogue will spoil L&L. It's fun, I liked it a lot.
The Blighted Stars by Megan O'Keefe - The scion of the major space mining family sets out to prove his family isn't causing the deadly fungus that wipes out all other ecology on the planet. In a world where you print bodies with your mental map in them, this should be plenty safe. Until it isn't. And his bodyguard's body has a rebel's map in it. And then you're stranded without enough food, and can't be re-printed because having your mind in two different places at once almost certainly will destroy your map permanently (quantum entanglement sort of thing.) This was enjoyable, and played with the grey ethics involved in this level of industry and power. Also, love how this book dealt with a trans character - if you can print bodies, being printed into the 'correct' one is very easy (albeit you have to wait til 18 to be mapped). I'll be reading the sequel.
Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey - the last of the Foundation trilogy. I've been reading these books since I was a kid because who doesn't want to be Chosen by a magic horse who is sort of like an angel but not quite and get to be Important and Special? This novel finally portrays the true founding of the country of Valdemar and the beginning of the Companions and Heralds. It's probably not the last book in this world, but it feels like a capstone nonetheless. It's a fluffy fantasy, but it's an optimistic fantasy. It is fun to sometimes get to read about a world where the leadership is truly intending to do right by their people.
The Quill & Still, Book One by Aaron Sofaer/Pastafarian - A Royal Road "slow life" LitRPG that's been published into ebook form. I still can't decide how I feel about it. I read the whole thing, but it was very slow and technical in parts. It's in many ways a very standard isekai litRPG, but it's about woman sent to another world by Artemis (yes that one) and Hephaestus (yes that one) but who specifically didn't want to have to do that adventuring thing and fight people. So she's in a small town, over a Dungeon, doing Alchemy, and sometimes lost in the "I used to be a chemist" science of it all. I don't love it, I don't hate it. I'll probably read more on RR when I remember to.
Recent Audiobook Listens:
Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - listened to the updated versions with Tatiana Maslany and they're excellent. These books hold up. The love triangle is basically non-existent (the movies heightened what little is there.) And the portrayal of PTSD and how it's handled is fantastic. The slow realization that even victors aren't free - the word tribute was exquisitely chosen. I give the author so much credit for her work. I think the movies often fall into the exact things the Capitol is criticized for and they're most of what people remember about it. Being covered by the Unspoiled Podcast inspiring the re-listen.
Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire - the latest in the Wayward Children series, these are stories about the kids that went to the magical worlds behind the door and came back to our world... but now want to go back. Mostly. Sometimes it's more complicated than that. Seanan has continued to expand the worldbuilding of how the Doors work and why they show up where they do while continuing to develop the characters' individually.
Red Rising - also being covered by the Unspoiled Podcast.... I'm listening to follow along with the coverage and just finished this book and started the next but I don't enjoy the gender dynamics of this world, especially the supposedly egalitarian "Golds". It doesn't make sense to me and I think the author thought he did something egalitarian but did not. Maybe I'll be surprised, but the number of men motivated to SA someone or motivated by the SA or murder of a woman/girl is a problem to me.
I just finished Drive by James Sallis, the short neo-noir novel from which Refn's 2011 film was inspired. I'd say it would be a rewarding read for fans of violent competence and revenge.
Just starting The City and the City by China Miéville. I'm a fan and have heard good things about this one.
Driven was pretty good, too.
Thanks, I've added it to my list!
As I recall, The City and the City was a bit affected, not as good as Kraken which remains my favorite.
Kraken was pretty good. I really enjoyed Embassytown, though.
I'll have to get that one.
I just finished it and I think I see what you mean regarding affectation. At the very least there were quite a few 'precious' word choices that may not have been all that necessary. That said, I found it to be quite good, overall. The setting was fantastic and the ideas were well thought out and interesting. The pacing could have been a little better perhaps, as the first three quarters of the book were slow, methodical, and atmospheric while the last act sprinted until the end.
I'm about halfway through Jeff Vandermeer's Shriek: An Afterword, having just finished City of Saints and Madmen: The Book of Ambergris. I'll read Finch next. I originally got the omnibus but had to go find a separate copy of CoSaM when someone online pointed out the omnibus version is missing several stories (why?!). I feel like CoSaM was mostly just (mildly goofy) worldbuilding for what I hope is some actual information about the situation in Ambergris in Shriek/Finch. Just before this I read the Southern Reach Trilogy so I know it's unlikely I'll get all the answers.
I just finished the first book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series and immediately started volume 2. It's a LitRPG with the premise that aliens have turned the entire earth into a massive dungeon and made a huge televised game show out of it. We follow Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight their way through the dungeon, with occasional glimpses into the background politics of the aliens. It's fast-paced and fun, definitely not very deep though
Before starting that series, I just finished Pratchett's Men at Arms. Now that was a fantastic book. One of my favorites in the series so far.
Finished Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This was my first exposure to Tchaikovsky and was expecting great things. But honestly I'm a bit disappointed.
Good:
Unfavorable:
I'm unsure if I'll continue the series. Will probably pick up something different before returning.
I just finished Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. Tried and failed to get going on this twice before in the past. Looks like third time's the charm.
Definitely an interesting style with the frequent use of present tense. Seemed pretty cheesy at times, so I had to frequently remind myself that this was written in the late 80's, which kind of blows my mind due to how much he got right. I'm not educated enough on the subject to know how much of modern cyberpunk was influenced by this book as opposed to other sources, but it seems like a lot?
Also had often had to remind myself that this was satire. There's a long and boring section about a government procedure that I was really not into at first but was laughing out loud by the end. The protagonist is a total meme, and it's pretty crazy how well that's held up over time.
There were some parts with long discussions to explain concepts to the reader that dragged on sometimes, but I ultimately found the ideas around brain development, culture, viruses, etc. to be pretty interesting.
Some objectionable parts like the sex scene, which is pretty messed up even for the 80's, but I enjoyed the book overall.
I picked up The Shadow Master series: Books 1-3 audiobook. It's your typical fantasy humor series where the protag is a villain. The audio sample for the book completely sold me on spending my monthly credit on it lol.
So far it's pretty good. Interesting and some funny moments. The VA is a good narrator as well. I know him from other audiobooks, so that's a plus for me. The character will often go on small rants about things he dislikes about society. It's hit or miss. Overall the story is pretty good though
I read, and respected as well written, but did not enjoy Grendel.
Grendel
I am reading Crook Manifesto, sequel to Harlem Shuffle. It's excellent
Crook Manifesto
I really enjoyed The Thief, the first book in the Queen's Theif series.
The Thief
I am learning from and enjoying Range by David Epstein
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
I really enjoyed the Queen's Thief books. A lot of heart and genuinely likeable characters.
i’m halfway into The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy. I love everything about it. McCarthy’s writing is always excellent… I never cared so much about a wolf.
Lately Poul Anderson, particularly The Star Fox and Tau Zero which are both epic sci-fi, the last especially so. (e.g. a starship has it's brakes wrecked in an accident so their answer to every problem up until the end of the universe, people used to think the universe would re-collapse back then, was to accelerate even more)
Right now I am reading Carol Gilligan's In a Different Voice which is a masterpiece of feminist ethics because it was talked about in Borgmann's Crossing the Postmodern Divide. After that, Hogfather is next on the agenda because we used to watch Terry Pratchett's Hogfather during the 12 days of Christmas with pagan friends who would sometimes cosplay as Discworld characters. We fell out of the habit with the pandemic but we got the family together to watch it and I figured I'd read the book to clear up some details I wasn't sure about. (I got the Humble Bundle with (almost) all the Discworld books so I could be reading Prachett for a long time)
I'm reading Memory, Sorrow, Thorn finally! About 33% into book 3 now (woww this is a long audiobook).
My prediction for the ending is
Simon dies to Thorn, after the foreshadowing of him pricking himself on a rose early on in book 1I just finished Ducks - Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton.
Like just now and had to recommend it to someone. While it’s a comic in book form I would rather just call it a book. I love it. I’ve always been fascinated with comics but never really found anything i wanted to read because they’re often silly, confusing and all over the place in style. This is smack down my alley. The drawings are simple but powerful. Shifting from cartoonish faces with everyday conversation to amazing landscapes without words. And pauses to reflect. The story is a heart wrecking autobiography about Kates two years in the toxic male dominated environment of the oil sands. It’s so real, frustrating and sad. And if you’ve worked in similar places you know it’s authentic and that makes it hit close to home for me. I’m not a woman but I’ve worked in similar jobs when I was younger and god damn I really hope we have evolved. I cannot recommend this book enough.
I've been rereading A Discovery of Witches. I'm not a big rereader of books. Something about it feels wrong. But this has been really fun! I'm really enjoying it a second time as well.
I've started reading Mieko Kawakami's Breasts and Eggs a few days ago. I'm halfway through it. I read her other book Heaven at the beginning of this month and I liked it, so I thought I should pick this one up as it's touted as her best.
I think I like it less than Heaven so far, but I reserve judgment until I finish the book, especially if it ends up where I'm guessing it will. Still, even then, I'll have find little to relate to given the main subject of the book, especially compared to Heaven which made me recall a lot of memories.