What Are You Reading?

InReality

wyrn wrote: »

I'm doing the same with the Blood Song series (I bought the first one after you were all ranting about it and now I'm worried about the sequel) and I have the first two (soon to be three) Lightbringer books sitting here. I have the patience of a toddler at Christmas when reading a series.

My Kindle is like a drug pusher when it comes to series.

Dades

Finally finished The Tower Lord...

First half is a bit of a slog, tbh. Nothing of note really happens. Really could have been condensed to a third of its page count. Then with the snap of a neck it all kicks off - big time.

Really enjoyed the second half and glad when I was tempted to ditch it, that I didn't.

Dades

Just started "Lock In" by John Scalzi.

Holding my interest so far, though this literary convention of only revealing small crucial pieces of information about a books 'universe' at chosen points annoys me.

It only serves to confuse me during the early pages when if I'd known certain things it would have been a smoother read. If you're going to tell me something 5 pages from now just bloody tell me now so I'm not reading these 5 pages totally out out context.

Dan_Solo

Aaaaand I FINALLY finished Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton.
I wish I could describe it as "epic" but the appropriate word is "long". Soooo long. Like, about 3 times (no joke) longer than necessary. The story was so-so, and yes the powers the enemy dude has were just random and baffling. My first book by Hamilton and most likely my last unless I'm convinced otherwise. I'm kinda averse to not finishing books and I suffered greatly for my principles this time!
Now for something completely different... The King of Elfland's Daughter, by Lord Dunsany in 1924... was looking at Wikipedia and didn't realise his Irish connections at all. Good so far but might just be the blessed relief.

ixoy

25% into "The Causal Angel" by Hannu Rajaniemi. It's the final book in his Jean LeFlambeur series and, just like the others, it completely screws with your mind. Set in a very much post-Singularity world it throws in multiple post-Singularity concepts, multiple layer of reality, multiple versions of characters, and more. Wrapped around an actual plot too - it's demanding and I'm honestly quite sure I'm missing pieces but it's good and I'm damn sure Hannu is far smarter than I am.

Thargor

Dan_Solo wrote: »

Aaaaand I FINALLY finished Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton.
I wish I could describe it as "epic" but the appropriate word is "long". Soooo long. Like, about 3 times (no joke) longer than necessary. The story was so-so, and yes the powers the enemy dude has were just random and baffling. My first book by Hamilton and most likely my last unless I'm convinced otherwise. I'm kinda averse to not finishing books and I suffered greatly for my principles this time!
Now for something completely different... The King of Elfland's Daughter, by Lord Dunsany in 1924... was looking at Wikipedia and didn't realise his Irish connections at all. Good so far but might just be the blessed relief.

GNR is his worst work, read the Nights Dawn Trilogy, best space opera ever written imo.

OwaynOTT

ixoy wrote: »

25% into "The Causal Angel" by Hannu Rajaniemi. It's the final book in his Jean LeFlambeur series and, just like the others, it completely screws with your mind. Set in a very much post-Singularity world it throws in multiple post-Singularity concepts, multiple layer of reality, multiple versions of characters, and more. Wrapped around an actual plot too - it's demanding and I'm honestly quite sure I'm missing pieces but it's good and I'm damn sure Hannu is far smarter than I am.

Loved the first two but like yourself I'm pretty sure half of the book went over my head but I haven't read anything else like it.
Will be interesting to see where Hannu goes after this.

TwoShedsJackson

Dades wrote: »

Just started "Lock In" by John Scalzi.

Holding my interest so far, though this literary convention of only revealing small crucial pieces of information about a books 'universe' at chosen points annoys me.

It only serves to confuse me during the early pages when if I'd known certain things it would have been a smoother read. If you're going to tell me something 5 pages from now just bloody tell me now so I'm not reading these 5 pages totally out out context.

Really liking this so far - I actually like the way he is revealing the info e.g.

initially you think Shane is a regular guy than it's revealed he's really an android-type thing etc.

ronoc 1

read conn igguldens stormbird,a fairly good read about the wars of the roses,the first in a trilogy.it has some good characters and set pieces but overall it could have been a bit more complex,i mean the lancaster supporters come across as noble and heroic while the yorks are a bit too much like cartoon villains.Still worth a read.

Not sure if im allowed to post historical fiction it just seems it has a lot in common with fantasy,well the fantasy that i read anyway.Apologies if i shouldnt have.

Bits_n_Bobs

Made a valiant attempt to read Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross. I enjoy a lot of his novels such as Saturns Children, Singularity etc. I had read one of his other books from the Laundry Series and found it kind of dull but thought I would give the series another go.

I got through to about 75% in a fit of prolonged masochism and finally had to admit defeat. It wasn't smart, funny or original. Blech. Can't believe I subjected myself to it

Turgid crap.

Thargor

Bits_n_Bobs wrote: »

Made a valiant attempt to read Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross. I enjoy a lot of his novels such as Saturns Children, Singularity etc. I had read one of his other books from the Laundry Series and found it kind of dull but thought I would give the series another go.

I got through to about 75% in a fit of prolonged masochism and finally had to admit defeat. It wasn't smart, funny or original. Blech. Can't believe I subjected myself to it

Turgid crap.

I probably wont bother with any more of his stuff myself either tbh, he does seem to wander a lot in his writing even though the singularity subject matter is some of my favourite sci-fi.

TwoShedsJackson

Stross is dreadful, sometimes a writer's style just really rubs you the wrong way I think. 'Accelerando' I gave up on after about fifty pages.

pH

Finished Dark Eden by Chris Beckett because I fancied a bit of sci-fi. It's a strange book and to be honest not my cup of tea really, a novel about a stranded group of humans surviving on a strange planet and one man who tries to change things. That said I finished it, and enjoyed it in parts, but it didn't push any of my sci-fi buttons, and if you want to read a book about human nature and group dynamics I'd suggest Lord of the Flies - the sci-fi aspect added nothing really.

Any feedback on Stross' latest Neptune's Brood? And also what's the story with the Mongoliad series ... worth a read?

Bits_n_Bobs

pH wrote: »

Any feedback on Stross' latest Neptune's Brood? And also what's the story with the Mongoliad series ... worth a read?

Just finished Neptunes Brood a few weeks ago. I'd recommend it with some caveats;

- its not a direct sequel to Saturns Children (which I thoroughly enjoyed)
- he gets bogged down in world-building, which I generally enjoy but in this case it's too focused on the economics of interstellar trade
- the plotting/pacing is patchy and I was kind of meh about the ending

Ronanc1

Well I finished Glen Cook's Black Company books a couple of weeks ago and overall am really happy I picked 'em up, they've certainly earned their permanent place on my bookcase. Now I'm onto Banks' Culture novels around 50% through Consider Phlebas and enjoying it so far certainly see how they probably influenced a lot of current space opera stories in particular the Mass effect series!

Dades

Ronanc1 wrote: »

Now I'm onto Banks' Culture novels around 50% through Consider Phlebas and enjoying it so far certainly see how they probably influenced a lot of current space opera stories in particular the Mass effect series!

Lucky you!

Consider Phlebas is fun but will seem very small in scope when you get onto some of the bigger books. Player of Games - another smaller book - I think is the best intro into the Culture universe. Enjoy.

ixoy

Reading "Off to Be the Wizard" by Scott Meyer. It's a light fantasy novel where an IT programmer discovers a file that he can use to edit the stats of the world around him but ends up back in Medieval England pretending to be a wizard.
I also got the second book as it's currently 89c on Amazon.

So far, it's enjoyable if probably ultimately forgettable. Needing something a bit lighter after the excessive concentration required for "Assail" and then "The Causal Angel".

ixoy

"Zero Point" by Neal Asher, the 2nd book in his Owner trilogy. Better than the first so far as it picks up directly from the previous book leading to an improved pacing. Still not as much fun as his Polity books but I'm enjoying it more than the last one.

Nody

Finished the Prague Cemetery and the first two books in the lost fleet; started the third and about 1/5th in (interesting series but you fly through the books, thankfully I bought the first six in one go).

Bits_n_Bobs

ixoy wrote: »

"Zero Point" by Neal Asher, the 2nd book in his Owner trilogy. Better than the first so far as it picks up directly from the previous book leading to an improved pacing. Still not as much fun as his Polity books but I'm enjoying it more than the last one.

Have to agree with that summary - not great by Asher standards but still a cracking read

matrim

Just finished The Broken Eye, Book 3 of the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks. I enjoyed the book but was disappointed to realise that it wasn't the end of the series because I had been expecting a trilogy.

Thargor

matrim wrote: »

Just finished The Broken Eye, Book 3 of the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks. I enjoyed the book but was disappointed to realise that it wasn't the end of the series because I had been expecting a trilogy.

Ah crap I thought that was a trilogy aswell, at least they're getting good reviews...

gesler

re reading Malazan book of the fallen, on reapers gale with only ASSAIL not already read...

bonkey

Thargor wrote: »

Ah crap I thought that was a trilogy aswell, at least they're getting good reviews...

It was supposed to be a trilogy. Then he / his publisher changed his / their mind.

stuboy01

Just finished Leviathan Wakes by James s. A. Corey. Good read

Dades

Finished "Lock In" by John Scalzi - it's okay but not great.

More of a SF gumshoe detective story than anything else. The ideas are big, but the story isn't really that out there and characters that are somewhat contrived.

Zubeneschamali

Bits_n_Bobs wrote: »

J
- the plotting/pacing is patchy and I was kind of meh about the ending

Stross is meh about the ending, too.

Wabbit Ears

also reading book 3 of the light bringer series, I'm finding this series to be truly amazing. I find myself completely believing the Light Drafting magic its so well thought out and presented. I'm actually kinda happy to hear there will be another book as I'm enjoying this enough to not want it to end here!

Thargor

Down at the parents and my phone died so I had no Epub reader, so I started reading a Dune paperback since its been nearly 15 years since I read it, what a book it is, it just grabs you like nothing else, read it the whole way up from Galway on the bus and still reading it now, it really is the perfect sci-fi novel. Ill have to read the sequels now even though I remember the second book turning me off years ago, it just seemed so bland compared to Dune.

fenris

re read of Midnight Tides there something fitting about autumn evenings and Malazans.
Tehol and Bugg are keeping me awake when I should be asleep!