What Are You Reading?

TheIrishGrover

I'm trying to read Brandon Sanderson’s "The Way of Kings". I'm only about 40% through first book, It's not bad. So far so Business As Usual. It may change but it's just OK so far......But those spren...... Everything involves spren and each time they are mentioned I sigh and come close to giving up: overusedandunnecessaryspren popping up every page or so whenever anything at all happens. Someone dies - Spren. Someone kills - Spren. Someone is sick - Spren. Someone draws a picture - Spren (I'm not joking).

Thargor

I see the Hyena and The Hawk has hit bookshelves, Im in no hurry to read it though, if it was another of his Shadows of the Apt I would have ran home and been straight into it but this is a very lacklustre series in a very dull world in my opinion, everything else of his is gold but he really missed the mark here.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36161270-the-hyena-and-the-hawk

ixoy

Thargor wrote: »

I see the Hyena and The Hawk has hit bookshelves, Im in no hurry to read it though, if it was another of his Shadows of the Apt I would have ran home and been straight into it

Have you checked out his Tales of the Apt series? Short stories set in the world - some from his website or previous collections but a lot new. There's even some set after the series.
I've not yet read volume 3 but it's four novellas really and I believe it'll feature new lands and new kinden.

Thargor

I keep an eye on them thanks but Im not to bothered about extra content after the main course, Im the same with games, never care about DLC with very few exceptions.

ixoy

Thargor wrote: »

I keep an eye on them thanks but Im not to bothered about extra content after the main course, Im the same with games, never care about DLC with very few exceptions.

Utterly off topic now, but if you're a fan of the Witcher 3, you owe it to yourself to check out the DLC - best DLC I've ever played. They're nearly full games with a strong plot, new setting and even improved the character system.

Thargor

That would be one of the few exceptions I mentioned

Horizon Zero Dawn also even though it wasnt great, Breath of the Wild aswell if anything else comes out.

shootermacg

ixoy wrote: »

Utterly off topic now, but if you're a fan of the Witcher 3, you owe it to yourself to check out the DLC - best DLC I've ever played. They're nearly full games with a strong plot, new setting and even improved the character system.

The Witcher's movement is absolutely terrible, I can only put up with it for short periods.

Thargor

Really? I thought he was pretty slick in III, the earlier ones it was like driving a tank alright.

facehugger99

Are there any decent modern sci-fi novels that aren't part of a series?

Not too choosy about the genre - not mad about cyber-punk.

I've read (and liked) Hyperion, Three Body Problem, Ready Player One, Snow Crash - a lot of the older classics from Asimov, Clarke, Bear, Gibson and Heinlein etc....

Dades

smacl wrote: »

Finished Zoe's tale which was enjoyable but pretty much as expected. Just starting The stars my destination, which I've been meaning to read for a while now. Also bought and downloaded Snow crash and The windup girl, so plenty to look forward to.

Zoe's tale could only be as expected given the parallel timeline!

The Stars my Destination is one of my favourite of the Masterworks.

Lady Haywire

Currently reading through all of James Herriots vet tales. But am a bit lost for after. Have NK Jemisins Broken Earth trilogy, but also have the Malazin books and Pullmans Sally Lockheart series. Decisions decisions!
I also have a lot of Margaret Stohl books on my list for some reason but can't remember why :pac:

Sleepy

Jayd0g wrote: »

Really enjoyed that series, looking forward to the next one!

Moved onto The Blinding Knife yesterday

machalla

I just finished off the latest book in the Foreigner Series Emergence (Book 18) from C. J. Cherryh.  Actually the most recent 3 books since I haven't returned to it in a few years.


Just starting on The End of the World Running Club which reads well so far in the first few chapters.  Described as  dystopian fiction without a teenage girl protagonist.  Perhaps this qualifies it as MA then, Middle Aged adult fiction.

SortingYouOut

Starting The Humans - Matt Haig

mcgovern

While I enjoyed Sea Watch, I think it was the weakest book in the series so far. The new kinden don't have the same appeal as the existing ones, they don't have the racial characteristics (other than their aptitude etc) that the others do. I also didn't like that they aren't insect based.
And that the overall story hasn't really progressed, this seemed more like an offshoot of the main series.
But I will continue reading

Next up is All Systems Red by Martha Wells, which is seemingly about a murderous AI

shrapnel222

facehugger99 wrote: »

Are there any decent modern sci-fi novels that aren't part of a series?

Not too choosy about the genre - not mad about cyber-punk.

I've read (and liked) Hyperion, Three Body Problem, Ready Player One, Snow Crash - a lot of the older classics from Asimov, Clarke, Bear, Gibson and Heinlein etc....

a few that spring to mind

Ender's game by Orson Scott Card (2 series have it as a starting point but it is definitely a standalone)

Songmaster by the same author

Cryptonomicon by Stephenson

Dragon's egg by Forward

Dune

and another one which was recommended here was "children of time" by tchaikovsky

stesaurus

About half way through Kafir Project. The premise is extremely interesting and science seems relatively up to scratch, science fiction wise. However, you manage to build a (slight spoiler)

time viewing

machine and use it to target muslim extremism is odd. Surely there's better choices to use it for.

The writing isn't fantastic and it reminds me a LOT of Dan Brown's series of books. Fast paced thriller, messy exposition and fantastical escapes. I'll stick with it but not sure I'd be recommending it. If it wasn't for the interesting science side of it I'd be putting it down.

Thargor

stesaurus wrote: »

About half way through Kafir Project. The premise is extremely interesting and science seems relatively up to scratch, science fiction wise. However, you manage to build a (slight spoiler)

time viewing

machine and use it to target muslim extremism is odd. Surely there's better choices to use it for.

The writing isn't fantastic and it reminds me a LOT of Dan Brown's series of books. Fast paced thriller, messy exposition and fantastical escapes. I'll stick with it but not sure I'd be recommending it. If it wasn't for the interesting science side of it I'd be putting it down.

Have a look at The Light of Other Days by Arthur C Clarke for a good take on that technology and all the disruption that flows from it.

Nody

Finished New Model Army which is an interesting concept esp. for anyone who's done military service. Few flaws in the concept and the second half is no where near as strong as the first half but the idea is built on public mercenary forces. Instead of having a huge state army Scotland or other regions instead can negotiate to get a these public mercenaries who fight basically large scale guerilla wars against regular armies but are fully democratic where people all have a vote on tactics etc. I'm not explaining it very well but it was interesting enough though not a 10/10 book.

smacl

machalla wrote: »

Just starting on The End of the World Running Club which reads well so far in the first few chapters.  Described as  dystopian fiction without a teenage girl protagonist.  Perhaps this qualifies it as MA then, Middle Aged adult fiction.

An entertaining read if you enjoy this genre, which I certainly do. An easy read for us middle aged teens

coffee_cake

just finished the witcher book baptism of fire.
i want the next one but it's another tenner...

Mr Meanor

facehugger99 wrote: »

Are there any decent modern sci-fi novels that aren't part of a series?

Not too choosy about the genre - not mad about cyber-punk.

I've read (and liked) Hyperion, Three Body Problem, Ready Player One, Snow Crash - a lot of the older classics from Asimov, Clarke, Bear, Gibson and Heinlein etc....

This is a short trilogy, but it suits the list you provided and liked.
1. We are Legion, We are Bob.
2. For we are many
3. All these worlds

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32109569-we-are-legion-we-are-bob

ixoy

Currently reading "Wolf Moon" by Ian McDonald, the second in his Luna trilogy. It's sort of like a vicious Dynasty/GoT story about feuding dynasties in control of the moon's precious resources.
The second book picks up in the aftermath of the first and each chapter's following a character from one of the two main families.
I'm enjoying McDonald's writing style and his use of other cultures - primarily Brazilian here - to give it a different flavour. The politics work well (I can see why the series got optioned) and my interest level's been kept. No real feel of the standard mid-volume slump that can beset trilogies.

Trojan

Currently reading Theft of Swords (The Riyria Revelations).

About 25% in, I'm currently at the place where

the bridge was retracted behind them, time stands still and they need help the wizard to escape

.

I know the author commented about how the world-building is spread out piece by piece in the whole series, but I'm finding it a bit simplistic, kind of YA style - single plot, limited development.

Has anyone here read these? Is it worth sticking with?

Mr Meanor wrote: »

This is a short trilogy, but it suits the list you provided and liked.
1. We are Legion, We are Bob.
2. For we are many
3. All these worlds

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32109569-we-are-legion-we-are-bob

Just picked up the first of these to give it a go.

mickmac76

Just finished Grey Sister by Mark Lawernce. It's the follow up to Red Sister which was recommended on this thread. Really enjoyed book one but book two didn't have the same kick to it. That's the first time I've been disappointed with one of his books.

wyrn

Trojan wrote: »

Currently reading Theft of Swords (The Riyria Revelations).

About 25% in, I'm currently at the place where

the bridge was retracted behind them, time stands still and they need help the wizard to escape

.

I know the author commented about how the world-building is spread out piece by piece in the whole series, but I'm finding it a bit simplistic, kind of YA style - single plot, limited development.

Has anyone here read these? Is it worth sticking with?



Just picked up the first of these to give it a go.

I love that series. Accidentally picked it up in Chapters and got a friend addicted to it. If I recall, I think the author create the series as bed time stories for his daughter and ended up publishing it.


Yeah it's a bit YA but it's quite enjoyable to read after reading a heavy series, if you get me.

Trojan

wyrn wrote: »

I love that series. Accidentally picked it up in Chapters and got a friend addicted to it. If I recall, I think the author create the series as bed time stories for his daughter and ended up publishing it.


Yeah it's a bit YA but it's quite enjoyable to read after reading a heavy series, if you get me.

Cheers. I might switch to something else and save it for when I'm looking for lighter reading.

vasch_ro

Mr Meanor wrote: »

This is a short trilogy, but it suits the list you provided and liked.
1. We are Legion, We are Bob.
2. For we are many
3. All these worlds

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32109569-we-are-legion-we-are-bob

Thanks loving We are Legion, We are Bob!!

coffee_cake

I'm reading the Extracted trilogy by rr haywood. The dialogue in particular is great, enjoyed the first two books.
I don't think the author knows the difference between purposely and purposefully though, and they keep using it. Editor should have caught that and the punctuation

Sleepy

On to The Broken Eye, the third book in Brent Week's Lightbringer series and getting painfully aware that I'm going to be waiting until next summer at the earliest to read the conclusion of the series...

And unlike the Gentlemen Bastards series, where each novel can almost be treated as a stand-alone adventure with a recurring cast, Lightbringer is more of a serial than a series...