What Are You Reading?

pixelburp

Dades wrote: »

Amazed at the recent hate for Ready Player One!

It was what it was. An 80's pop culture medley with some sort of characters involved. I can see though that it may not appeal to those for whom that era doesn't resonate.

Thought the movie was pretty OK. The opening race through NY was spectacular. It wasn't Arrival or Event Horizon but it wasn't trying to be.

Oh the era resonates, I grew up in it, just thought the book was pandering sh*te and badly written different strokes n all, but it wasn't a lack of connection with the nostalgia shovelled into the pages that was the problem ...

ixoy

My book reads for this year, going by GoodReads and omitting some collected graphic novels:

Book Author
Infinity Engine (Transformation, #3) Neal Asher
Deadhouse Landing (Path to Ascendancy, #2) Ian C. Esslemont
Faction Paradox: Of the City of the Saved... (Faction Paradox, #2) Philip Purser-Hallard
The Mountains of Mourning Lois McMaster Bujold
The Spider's War (The Dagger and the Coin, #5) Daniel Abraham
Revenger (Revenger, #1) Alastair Reynolds
Faction Paradox: Warlords of Utopia (Faction Paradox, #3) Lance Parkin
The Tiger and the Wolf (Echoes of the Fall, #1) Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1) N.K. Jemisin
The Vor Game (Vorkosigan Saga, #6) Lois McMaster Bujold
The Vagrant (The Vagrant, #1) Peter Newman
Faction Paradox: Warring States (Faction Paradox, #4) Mags L. Halliday
The Hanging Tree (Peter Grant, #6) Ben Aaronovitch
The Bear and the Serpent (Echoes of the Fall, #2) Adrian Tchaikovsky
Mother of Eden (Dark Eden, #2) Chris Beckett
City of Blades (The Divine Cities, #2) Robert Jackson Bennett
Echopraxia (Firefall, #2) Peter Watts
The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth, #2) N.K. Jemisin
Wolf Moon (Luna, #2) Ian McDonald
Faction Paradox: The Book of the War Lawrence Miles
Anansi Boys Neil Gaiman
River of Stars (Under Heaven, #2) Guy Gavriel Kay
The Malice (The Vagrant, #2) Peter Newman
Axis (Spin, #2) Robert Charles Wilson
Cetaganda (Vorkosigan Saga, #9) Lois McMaster Bujold
Faction Paradox: Erasing Sherlock (Faction Paradox, #5) Kelly Hale
The Rhesus Chart (Laundry Files, #5) Charles Stross
For Love of Distant Shores (Tales of the Apt #3) Adrian Tchaikovsky
I Think You'll Find It's a Bit More Complicated Than That Ben Goldacre
The City of Mirrors (The Passage, #3) Justin Cronin
Caine Black Knife (The Acts of Caine, #3) Matthew Woodring Stover
Dogs of War Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth, #3) N.K. Jemisin
The Hammer and the Goat (The Vagrant #1.5) Peter Newman
An Unwelcome Quest (Magic 2.0, #3) Scott Meyer
The Autumn Republic (Powder Mage, #3) Brian McClellan
Ancillary Mercy (Imperial Radch #3) Ann Leckie
The Hyena and the Hawk (Echoes of the Fall, #3) Adrian Tchaikovsky
Faction Paradox: Newtons Sleep (Faction Paradox, #6) Daniel O'Mahony
City of Miracles (The Divine Cities, #3) Robert Jackson Bennett
Ethan of Athos (Vorkosigan Saga, #3) Lois McMaster Bujold
Collected Fiction Hannu Rajaniemi
The Annihilation Score (Laundry Files, #6) Charles Stross
Daughter of Eden (Dark Eden, #3) Chris Beckett
The Bands of Mourning (Mistborn, #6) Brandon Sanderson
Faction Paradox: A Romance in Twelve Parts Stuart Douglas
Lies Sleeping (Peter Grant, #7) Ben Aaronovitch
Acceptance (Southern Reach, #3) Jeff VanderMeer

Thargor

Dades wrote: »

Amazed at the recent hate for Ready Player One!

It was what it was. An 80's pop culture medley with some sort of characters involved. I can see though that it may not appeal to those for whom that era doesn't resonate.

Thought the movie was pretty OK. The opening race through NY was spectacular. It wasn't Arrival or Event Horizon but it wasn't trying to be.

The era does resonate with me aswell but it was just pure pandering sh1te as already mentioned. I absolutely hate that smug, all knowing, better than everyone else for no reason main character that American authors ram into every book these days, it honestly feels like a lot of these books are being (badly) written by an AI. The same plodding "I did this" "Then I did this" style that reminds me of writing essays in secondary school.

The puzzles were so stupid it actually made me angry aswell. Drive backwards in the race instead of forwards? And nobody figured that out except Smug McSmugface? Do they realise how games like Mario Kart or whatever get pulled apart by the speedrunning crowd and this was for control of the world economy basically?

smacl

Thargor wrote: »

The puzzles were so stupid it actually made me angry aswell. Drive backwards in the race instead of forwards? And nobody figured that out except Smug McSmugface? Do they realise how games like Mario Kart or whatever get pulled apart by the speedrunning crowd and this was for control of the world economy basically?

None of which was in the book though, which had a circuitous route to finding a game of Joust as the first clue, Pacman as winning the extra life, and was very different from the film in many other respects. The film was dumbed down to suit a much larger and younger audience and IMHO was truly awful. While smug heroes doing well against very steep odds is a fair criticism, it is one that could be levelled against about half the books that appear in this forum. FWIW, Ready Player One manages a respectable enough 4.28 out of 5 on Goodreads albeit with plenty of one star ratings.

Just picked up a copy of A Crack in Creation, which while non sci-fi and non-fiction should be of interest to see where the current science surrounding gene hacking sits with respect to sci-fi. Also picked up the other two Becky Chambers books on the strength of the first, which I absolutely adored.

nhur

pixelburp wrote: »

Just to be pedantic, but Ready Player One isn't a YA book. Far from it; by dint of the avalanche of 80s pop culture, it always seemed intentionally aimed at that demographic such as myself who grew up in that era.

unintentional implication - soz! i'm of an era too

opus

Trojan wrote: »

Just read the Murderbot series, recommend it to anyone who likes easy reading scifi. (This is not hard sf)

I have only one criticism, and that's about the price and division into 4 short books: it's $40 for what's effectively one regular length book. That said, I liked it enough to pay it, so it's obviously not that big a deal.

--

I like Becky Chambers stuff, it's actually quite similar to the above, I'm adding the latest one to my to-read pile.

Snap! Have already read all of Ms Chambers books & now have read three of the Murderbot series & just about to kick off #4 (Exit Strategy). Enjoying them although they are fairly short, think if you put your mind to it, you'd be able to finish them all off in a day or two.

keane2097

I started Leviathan Wakes last night and suddenly found myself 20% through it which is a fair chunk out of 561 pages.

First time in a long time I've been so gripped from the opening page of a sci-fi novel. Perhaps part of that is due to having seen season 1 of the Expanse so found it easier to visualise, but the opening line in particular is a ripper:

The Scopuli had been taken eight days ago, and Julie Mao was finally ready to be shot.

divide_by_zero

keane2097 wrote: »

I started Leviathan Wakes last night and suddenly found myself 20% through it which is a fair chunk out of 561 pages.

First time in a long time I've been so gripped from the opening page of a sci-fi novel. Perhaps part of that is due to having seen season 1 of the Expanse so found it easier to visualise, but the opening line in particular is a ripper:

The Expanse is one of the best Sci fi series I've read. Eagerly awaiting Tiamat's Wrath this March.

Manach

I enjoyed Ready Player One - an entertaining piece of 80s nostolgia but I was surprised they made a film of such material.
@ixoy as you are reading a lot of Bujold books, I'd highly recommend her "Curse of Chalion"

lordgoat

divide_by_zero wrote: »

The Expanse is one of the best Sci fi series I've read. Eagerly awaiting Tiamat's Wrath this March.

Really enjoying the Dagger and Coin Series - Daniel Abraham. About to start the last book. Thoroughly recommend.

wyrn

Just finished reading Siege Tactics by Drew Hayes. It's book 4 in the Spells, Swords and Stealth series abut what happens to the NPCs in a Dungeons and Dragons type tabletop game. It's a fantastic series which follows 3 interconnected timelines, the IRL game players, their characters and the NPCs. It kinda reminds me a bit of Bandersnatch in that some of the characters are aware that their choices might not always have been their own. It's not a choose your own adventure series though but you can see how the characters talk through decisions for which way their adventure might go. There's lots of depth and character development which really adds to the richness of the story. This book was a bit of a slog (not in a bad way) in that it spends the whole book setting up for something and that it means I have to wait for another book to see the fallout and how the consequences will play out.



Drew Hayes is an indie author I think and he's quickly become an instabuy author for me. The books aren't too expensive and they're usually a good size so you really feel like you're getting value for money. He also writes the Fred the Vampire Accountant series too.

Jayd0g

lordgoat wrote: »

Really enjoying the Dagger and Coin Series - Daniel Abraham. About to start the last book. Thoroughly recommend.

Looks interesting, Wikipedia page suggests it uses an alternating chapter for each character point of view.

Is it worth the five book slog?

The fact that the series has finished is a big point in its favour!

batgoat

Read I, Robot by Asimov, was surprised that he's such an easy and enjoyable read. Naturally expected him to be dense.

ixoy

Jayd0g wrote: »

Looks interesting, Wikipedia page suggests it uses an alternating chapter for each character point of view.

Is it worth the five book slog?

The fact that the series has finished is a big point in its favour!

I've read the series and it was.. grand. There were certain aspects I really enjoyed, such as the characters refreshingly not fulfilling prophecies but profit margins. The world building, to me, lacked a bit though at times - there's plenty of different races but largely I never got a feeling of distinction from them bar one exception.
The series doesn't lag but I felt it didn't really build up to a great finale - it just kept the same pace throughout.

I much preferred Abraham's "The Long Price" quartet.

L

batgoat wrote: »

Read I, Robot by Asimov, was surprised that he's such an easy and enjoyable read. Naturally expected him to be dense.

Asimov's well worth the read. Funny he's developed a bit of a reputation for being dense - his writing's deliberately clear, concise and easy to read since he'd a thing about his books being for ordinary readers to enjoy. He saw overly flowery elaborate writing as pandering to critics at their expense.

Try Foundation when you're done with I, Robot. The first book is a collection of short stories that chain together to form the novel. It's quite good.

lordgoat

ixoy wrote: »

I've read the series and it was.. grand. There were certain aspects I really enjoyed, such as the characters refreshingly not fulfilling prophecies but profit margins. The world building, to me, lacked a bit though at times - there's plenty of different races but largely I never got a feeling of distinction from them bar one exception.
The series doesn't lag but I felt it didn't really build up to a great finale - it just kept the same pace throughout.

I much preferred Abraham's "The Long Price" quartet.

Agree on the different races point. Thought there would be a reason for them but I really like how the focus of the story arc is much different from other series. Moves at a consistent pace throughout. I enjoyed this rather than building to a poor ending.

JayD0g:

I'm halfway through last book, started book 1 mid December I think, so breezed through em. Try book 1 for an idea of the pace. Make it to the end if you can, get a good idea of the big picture at the end of it, but it expands again in book 2 and 3.

Jayd0g

lordgoat wrote: »

Agree on the different races point. Thought there would be a reason for them but I really like how the focus of the story arc is much different from other series. Moves at a consistent pace throughout. I enjoyed this rather than building to a poor ending.

JayD0g:

I'm halfway through last book, started book 1 mid December I think, so breezed through em. Try book 1 for an idea of the pace. Make it to the end if you can, get a good idea of the big picture at the end of it, but it expands again in book 2 and 3.

It's on the list, working my way through the Gaunts Ghosts novels so will be a while!

wildlifeboy

Red Rising Series on book 4 now

mcgovern

Feed was nothing special in the end, didn't really do enough to keep my interested in the series.
All finished listening to Foxglove Summer, #5 in Peter Grant series. Good as always but I thought it ended a bit abruptly. Hasn't stopped me from making The Hanging Tree (#6) my next listen though.
From the reading side I've started The Soldier by Neal Asher, a new novel in his Polity universe. Has potential so far, with Hoopers, a new alien and some mad AIs.

kirk buttercup

Reading Fire and Blood . Reads more like a history book as i'm sure everyone knows on here . Reminds me a lot of Silmarillion

Dades

As mentioned in the eBook deals thread... picked up one called "Terms of Enlistment" on Amazon, and finished it yesterday.

Quick and easy read - like a lite version of Starship Troopers or Old Man's War. Just started the second in the series.

Nody

Started up on "A Soldiers Duty" by Jean Johnson. Still only a few pages in but it will hopefully pick up.

batgoat

wildlifeboy wrote: »

Red Rising Series on book 4 now

On book two at moment. Enjoying it but not sure if it's at the same level as first. How does it progress?

wildlifeboy

i really enjoyed them all really it picks up again, i am struggling through the latest one tbh

shootermacg

batgoat wrote: »

On book two at moment. Enjoying it but not sure if it's at the same level as first. How does it progress?

They're all of the same standard pretty much. All good.

Paddy Samurai

Finished Cold Iron by Miles Cameron.
This has the potential to be a Epic series.Cameron is on a winner with this one IMO.Loved it!.:D

Started The Black Guard by AJ Smith. About 100 pages in and not sure if its for me.I will finish it with the hope that it improves.

Nody

Nody wrote: »

Started up on "A Soldiers Duty" by Jean Johnson. Still only a few pages in but it will hopefully pick up.

Finished it and started directly on the second one. If you want some quick Space Marine Core action in a new universe I'd recommend it. It's not tech heavy or "difficult" but flows quickly in a series of short stories basically and I've gone ahead and ordered book 3 to 5.

Xofpod

Finished Meddling Kids, Edgar Cantero. A grown-up Scooby gang vs Cthulhu, basically. A fun read but won't set the world alight.
Next - on to Lud-in-the-Mist.

Sleepy

My mother in law came up trumps at Christmas and got me a bottle of single malt and a copy of Frank Herbert's Dune which I've been meaning to read for years.

Half way through at the moment and I can see why it's held in such regard. My only criticism is that the blurb on the edition I have (the 50th Anniversary Edition) is pretty much a plot summary of everything up to page 300 or so and thus littered with spoilers

Duke Leto's death, Lady Jessica and Paul fleeing into the dessert, the fact the Fremen control the worms

. Most of it is foreshadowed heavily in the book itself but even still: why spoiler half the book on the back cover!? :mad:

smacl

Must give Dune a re-read some time, haven't read it since my teens. Currently reading 'A closed and common orbit' which is the second in Becky Chambers wayfarer books. Quite different to the first book, but equally enjoyable so far. Doing a part time course in AI for computer vision programming at the moment as well, and the book works really well with this.