What Are You Reading?

ixoy

Thargor wrote: »

Im loving the Polity series by Neal Asher at the minute, great universe if you're missing Ian Banks, similar story in that AIs run the show with sentient ships and drones acting as free agents aswell, a bit more Hollywood though, none of the philosophical leanings of Banks, the main enemy in the first couple of books are literally evil giant crabs that eat humans, very well done though.

Myself and mcgovern are big fans of the series. I liked all of the Agent Cormac series but I also enjoyed the Spatterjay sequence and the other novels set at various different time frames.

There's a new upcoming trilogy in the Polity universe that's a sequel to 'The Technician' (which itself is a sequel to "The Line of Polity" but not really a sequel to the Agent Cormac series). I'm looking forward to it.

Asher has a great eye for action and some nasty aliens and characters. The books would make great films.

Thargor

Someone told me to skip the rest and just read the Agent Cormac books but Im glad I ignored them, Im reading them in chronological order as per this list:

https://www.goodreads.com/series/49128-polity-universe

It really is excellent sci-fi, I love when authors flesh out the universe instead of just the same bland planets and habitats over and over.

Bits_n_Bobs

Another favorable reviewer of all things Asher. Perhaps The Technician series was not as good as some of his other work, but it's pretty much all good.

mcgovern

After seeing my name mentioned , I realised I hadn't posted in ages, I haven't been reading much, but I finished Blindsight.

It was good, but I think a lot of it went over my head, it needed more attention than I gave it.

Also read Zoo City by Lauren Beukes, it was different, but tried to hard to be so, but still worth a read (I picked it up cheap on amazon).

Now reading The Children of the Sky by Vernor Vinge, I know it hasnt gotten the best reviews, compared to A Fire Upon the Deep and A Deepness in the Sky, but I'm loving it. About 60% through, so I've read a good bit.

Thargor

mcgovern wrote: »

compared to A Fire Upon the Deep and A Deepness in the Sky, but I'm loving it.

Great books, never knew there was a third thanks. Reviews on Goodreads are not good though and worst of all he doesnt seem to tell us what happens with The Blight from the first 2, Ill throw it on the pile anyway.

mcgovern

Thargor wrote: »

Great books, never knew there was a third thanks. Reviews on Goodreads are not good though and worst of all he doesnt seem to tell us what happens with The Blight from the first 2, Ill throw it on the pile anyway.

If you prefered the sci-fi parts of them, you might not like this one, it focuses almost exclusively on the Tines, with only passing mention of The Blight, at least so far.

Thargor

Ill definitely give it a go, Deepness and Fire are 2 of my all time favourite sci-fi books though. Have a read of a Mote in Gods Eye if you haven't, very similarly well done aliens in that aswell.

growler

Just finished up a revisit to the Hydrogen Sonata, which is one of my all time favourites , now on to book 2 of James Corey's Expanse series, Calibans War.

Another enjoyable romp through space and protomolecule-based baddies.

Dades

growler wrote: »

Just finished up a revisit to the Hydrogen Sonata, which is one of my all time favourites , now on to book 2 of James Corey's Expanse series, Calibans War.

Another enjoyable romp through space and protomolecule-based baddies.

Co-incidentally just listening to a podcast interview with one of the writers, Ty Franck.
http://geeksguideshow.com/2014/07/03/ggg113-james-s-a-corey/ (Also on iTunes)

Some interesting background to how the books came to be.

ixoy

32% into "Storm Front" by Jim Butcher, the first in the Dresden Files series. I'm not normally a fan of urban fantasy and this is doing nothing at all to change my mind. I'm finding it quite weak in all areas - writing, plot, character, even the humour barely raises a smile. On the basis of what I've read so far I doubt I'll be continuing this series.
It could also be the urban fantasy genre isn't for me as I wasn't overly impressed with Ben Aarvonitch's "Rivers of London" series either and after the disappointment that "American Gods", I'm not enthused about reading Gaiman's "Neverwhere", one of the other pillars of the genre. Maybe stick to other sub-genres is my best approach.

Zapp Brannigan

ixoy wrote: »

32% into "Storm Front" by Jim Butcher, the first in the Dresden Files series. I'm not normally a fan of urban fantasy and this is doing nothing at all to change my mind. I'm finding it quite weak in all areas - writing, plot, character, even the humour barely raises a smile. On the basis of what I've read so far I doubt I'll be continuing this series.
It could also be the urban fantasy genre isn't for me as I wasn't overly impressed with Ben Aarvonitch's "Rivers of London" series either and after the disappointment that "American Gods", I'm not enthused about reading Gaiman's "Neverwhere", one of the other pillars of the genre. Maybe stick to other sub-genres is my best approach.

Have you tried Kraken by China Mieville?

ixoy

Zapp Brannigan wrote: »

Have you tried Kraken by China Mieville?

Yep. My least favourite book of his (and that includes 'King Rat') and I'm a massive fan of his.

mcgovern

I finished Children of the Sky, I really liked it, but I can see why others mightn't, very little in the larger scheme of things gets resolved, but I'd still recommend it.
I'm now reading Ancillary Justice by Ann Lecke, still trying to figure out what is going on at the moment. The lack of gender, and just explanations in general, combined with constant flashbacks, makes it tough to get into.

Zapp Brannigan

ixoy wrote: »

Yep. My least favourite book of his (and that includes 'King Rat') and I'm a massive fan of his.

It's the only book of his that I've read but I rather enjoyed it.

5live

Finishing Assassins Quest by Robin Hobb. Really enjoying the Farseer books as they were much better than i expected from under 4euro each on google play. Fitz is an enjoyable charachter even though you know he is going to succeed. Any recommendations on what the best followup books are by Hobb?

TwoShedsJackson

mcgovern wrote: »

I finished Children of the Sky, I really liked it, but I can see why others mightn't, very little in the larger scheme of things gets resolved, but I'd still recommend it.
I'm now reading Ancillary Justice by Ann Lecke, still trying to figure out what is going on at the moment. The lack of gender, and just explanations in general, combined with constant flashbacks, makes it tough to get into.

I really liked Ancillary Justice, although you're right it's not the most straightforward read. Sequel (Ancillary Sword) is out around now.

Raif Severance

5live wrote: »

Finishing Assassins Quest by Robin Hobb. Really enjoying the Farseer books as they were much better than i expected from under 4euro each on google play. Fitz is an enjoyable charachter even though you know he is going to succeed. Any recommendations on what the best followup books are by Hobb?

The obvious Follow-up would be the Tawny Man Series, since it Stars the same Characters in the Farseer Books.

But I recommend going with the Liveship Traders Trilogy, first. It's in the same World as Farseers, and IMO Hobb's undoubted Best.

Akrasia

Hi All,
Does anyone have any recommendations for a modern 'hard' science fiction book similar to Andy Weir's 'The Martian'

A lot of the recommendations I've seen have been space operas which I'm not particularly interested in.

I've read Foundation by Azimov but It was a bit too epic for me

I'll be getting it on Audible so if there is good narration that's a major plus

Dades

Have you read Kim Stanley Robinson's "Mars" trilogy?

The first one is filled with serious hard science with some characters thrown in. Even though (for me) the other books get a bit political, the first is a fantastic read.

Thargor

One of the best sci-fi trilogies ever, definitely worth reading, the way he describes what they're doing to Mars is so realistic.

Cant believe how successful that Martian book was, I saved it for my holidays as I thought I was going to love it based on the reviews then the minute I opened it I felt like I was reading something a 15 or 16 year old wrote, one of the most detestable inner dialogues Ive ever read on a main character, did the author think he was actually funny? Painful read. Also a rushed ending like the kind I used to bolt onto my English essays in school when I got sick of writing.

shrapnel222

Akrasia wrote: »

Hi All,
Does anyone have any recommendations for a modern 'hard' science fiction book similar to Andy Weir's 'The Martian'

A lot of the recommendations I've seen have been space operas which I'm not particularly interested in.

I've read Foundation by Azimov but It was a bit too epic for me

I'll be getting it on Audible so if there is good narration that's a major plus

Dragon's egg by Robert forward. Fantastic piece of hard sci-fi which stays with you for a long time.

Bits_n_Bobs

Thargor wrote: »

One of the best sci-fi trilogies ever, definitely worth reading, the way he describes what they're doing to Mars is so realistic.

Cant believe how successful that Martian book was, I saved it for my holidays as I thought I was going to love it based on the reviews then the minute I opened it I felt like I was reading something a 15 or 16 year old wrote, one of the most detestable inner dialogues Ive ever read on a main character, did the author think he was actually funny? Painful read. Also a rushed ending like the kind I used to bolt onto my English essays in school when I got sick of writing.

Exact same experience. Didn't exactly hate it but thought 12 year old me would of got a lot more out of it than ancient me

OwaynOTT

5live wrote: »

Finishing Assassins Quest by Robin Hobb. Really enjoying the Farseer books as they were much better than i expected from under 4euro each on google play. Fitz is an enjoyable charachter even though you know he is going to succeed. Any recommendations on what the best followup books are by Hobb?

Raif Severance wrote: »

The obvious Follow-up would be the Tawny Man Series, since it Stars the same Characters in the Farseer Books.

But I recommend going with the Liveship Traders Trilogy, first. It's in the same World as Farseers, and IMO Hobb's undoubted Best.

Raif is wrong, Soldier Son trilogy is much better than all of them

Dades

Dades wrote: »

Started Dauntless this morning, damn you.

Just finished the book I was reading and needed to fill the gap until Greg Bear's latest is released at the end of the week!

Finished Dauntless. Fun shlock is all I'll say...

Started "War Dogs" this morning.

Manach

The Purge of Babylon: Ghouls Guns and God. Well written with some elements of humour amid the carnage.

keane2097

Still working through The Bonehunters here, it's pretty superb.

Akrasia

Dades wrote: »

Have you read Kim Stanley Robinson's "Mars" trilogy?

The first one is filled with serious hard science with some characters thrown in. Even though (for me) the other books get a bit political, the first is a fantastic read.

Cheers that's just what i was looking for.

I've just bought the Red Mars audiobook. Looking forward to it now

Raif Severance

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Raif is wrong, Soldier Son trilogy is much better than all of them

That might forever turned him off Hobb's Books.

Damn, that was really Disappointing, and it started out so well too.

When I read the 1st Book, I thought to myself "Finally, there's another Fantasy Writer that's doing Cavalry other than Modesitt, and it Hobbs to boot!." But Boy was I wrong.

It certainly not Bad. I mean the Introspective of a Fat Protagonist and the Social Stigma and the Ramification it carries, is certainly Unique. But the Settings, oh God the Settings was Wasted.

PS: If anyone here has Read a Fantasy that is similar in vein to Modesitt's Corean Chronicles and Scion/Magi of Cyador, pls. let me know.

Akrasia

Thargor wrote: »

One of the best sci-fi trilogies ever, definitely worth reading, the way he describes what they're doing to Mars is so realistic.

Cant believe how successful that Martian book was, I saved it for my holidays as I thought I was going to love it based on the reviews then the minute I opened it I felt like I was reading something a 15 or 16 year old wrote, one of the most detestable inner dialogues Ive ever read on a main character, did the author think he was actually funny? Painful read. Also a rushed ending like the kind I used to bolt onto my English essays in school when I got sick of writing.

I liked the dialogue/log entries from Watney. I thought they were well written and I liked his sense of humour. (but then I'm pretty juvenile so maybe that's why)

I wasn't a huge fan of the NASA interactions, I preferred when it was just Watney by himself trying to figure out how to survive.

The ending was abrupt, but at least it was plausible and obeyed the laws of physics and was consistent with the narrative and the resources that were available. I think Andy Weir did a great job making it believable that a man could survive on Mars by himself for so long without 'cheating' with 'advanced technology' that might as well be a magic wand

Trojan

Finished "Fool's Assassin" - book 1 of new Farseer trilogy from Robin Hobb.

I read a review where the reviewer suggested you rip the book in half, throw away the first half, and read the second. That's unfair. It's more like the first two-thirds.

I'll give it an extremely generous 3/10 as something happened towards the end, and book 2 might actually be ok.