What Are You Reading?

lordgoat

Hello random recommender friends!

Have a few flights and work nights away coming up would love a couple of light series to read so recommendations welcome.

Have the current trilogy from Feist ready to go. So that's what I'm after. Not an Erikson or a Sanderson huge world or 10 book series. Something good story wise. Scalzi or Murderbot on sci fi and Tide Child on fantasy would be what I'm after.

Thanks

Also - I tried to re read Terry Pratchet recently and am struggling with books I loved when younger. And Netflix Sandman is fantastic.

shrapnel222

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119564079#Comment_119564079

if you haven't read Tigana by guy gavriel kay, get it. it's a single volume and an absolute joy to read

Thargor

Saved The Book of the New Sun as a Summer read seeing as it's regarded by some as the best sci-fi ever written. Couldn't be more disappointed, started out okay then turns into a load of random nonsense to the point you don't have a clue what is supposed to be going on. I absolutely hate when authors do that, don't know if I want to force myself to read the rest now.

Paddy Samurai

Norylska Groans

by Michael R. Fletcher,  Clayton W. Snyder

I came to this as Fletcher is becoming one of my favourites.

Top notch grimdark fantasy ( currently my favourite genre) for me .But extremely violent with some gruesome torture scenes.Set in a soviet era type dystopian society with a interesting magic type system( trait stones).

Definitely not for everyone.But if you like grimdark and are not put off by the gruesome it’s well worth reading.

Paddy Samurai

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119365937#Comment_119365937

Probably his weakest series IMO. Meant for YA IMO.

ixoy

It's been a while!

* "A Little Hatred" & "The Trouble With Peace" by Joe Abercrombie, the 1st and 2nd book in his 'Age of Madness' trilogy. Very much back on form - lots of bloody violence, betrayals, twists, spitting on concepts like honour and of course some great dark humour with cutting lines. It's all so very cynical. It takes a look at the world of 'The First Law' as it enters the industrial age, powered on the backs of the poor and how various characters play out in the setting. The first book is probably stronger as the second sags a little in the first half but ramps up very strongly towards the end. Need a bit of a palette cleanser before the third one in this grimdark world.

* "Demon in White" by Christopher Ruocchio, the third book in his Sun Eater series. Thought this was excellent, as I did the last one. True sense of epic scale that I've rarely seen outside of the likes of 'Dune', some fantastic battles and a sense of great events. I enjoy the characters even more now and very glad I continued past the first book as it's shaping up to be one of my favourite sci fi series. Onwards to book four!

* 'The Witness for the Dead' by Katherine Addison, a short novel set in the world of 'The Goblin Emperor'. I enjoyed this, albeit the main character was a little bland at times next to the Goblin Emperor. What made it good was Addison's writing and world building, albeit I still get confused with the titles of the various characters! Will definitely read the next one.

* "The Halfling's Gem" by R.A. Salvatore, the third book in his "Icewind Dale" trilogy. It's very old school (and, to be fair, it's over 20 years old) but has a certain charm. A very easy read, and Drizzt is a pretty decent character. I've loads more of these courtesy of some Humble Bundles so I'll pick away at them over time.

* "A Time of Dread" by John Gwynne, the first book in his "Of Blood and Bone" trilogy, the sequel to his previous quartet and set 100 years on from it. The storylines are much more classic than a lot of modern fantasy - there's more clearly good vs bad but there is a nice touch of a theme on how far you might go to protect others from evil. It rotates around four characters (I had a clear favourite but none of them bored). I find Gwynne writes well even if the world he's created is fairly unoriginal. Plus you get to read demonic chants in Irish (which the author nicked for the language of some of the races) so that's always a bonus.

* "White Sand" by Brandon Sanderson. I don't normally post about the graphic novels I read, but since this comic book trilogy ties into the wider Cosmere universe I'd just like to be able to say: Don't bother. The main story is bland and the artwork varies, as it switches between authors. The world building is confusing and it's all a bit too dialogue heavy. Definitely would have worked better fleshed out into a novella.

*Network Effect" by Martha Wells, the first Murderbot novel and the fifth in the series overall. As much as I like Murderbot itself and its internal thoughts, I found the plot of this one a bit dull. It felt stretched out and I sort of lost thread of it. I think the series works better in novella form, which I see the next installment is.

lordgoat

Scalzi - Locked In

lordgoat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119657986#Comment_119657986

I read white sand as a novel - much better this way, even with annoying typos (it was on his website for free).

Also I'll not have a bad word said against Murderbot!

Glebee

A Canticle for Leibowitz: Been on my reading list for a while now so decided to give it a go because id seen it recommended before. About 40% through entirely sure what to make of it.

Igotadose

"Redshirts" by John Scalzi.

I'm banned from reading it in bed late at night, as my laughter is waking up my wife. Painfully funny in parts. Great read.

Thargor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119726198#Comment_119726198

I blitzed through a load of SF classics that Id missed a while back, I am Legend and a load of others, A Canticle for Leibowitz was one of the ones I was most looking forward to and the biggest disappointment, just pure... pointless? It was so boring.

If you want something in a similar vein, monks keeping humanities knowledge alive through civilization rise and collapse, give Anathem by Neal Stephenson a go, I know his tech descriptions get on some peoples nerves and there are some architecture descriptions in this that go on for entire chapters but just skim that and enjoy the story, one of the best pieces of SF you'll ever read.

CalamariFritti

Reading Sun Eater trilogy by Christopher Ruocchio, just finished 1st book 'Empire of Silence' and its really quite good.

Classic space opera with a bit of a Dune vibe as in feudalism and 'houses' and certain technology restrictions due to dogmatic hardcore religion. Lead character not necessarily the nicest guy ever but easy to stay with him all the same.

Hooked in any case and will march on to the 2nd book.

ixoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119735175#Comment_119735175

I'm on Book 4 and think the series gets better as it goes along. Really enjoying it.

Jayd0g

Just finished the Bone Ship's Wake, the final book in RJ Barker's Tide Child Series.

A really satisfying finish to a great series. Engaging characters with believable development arcs, great world building and kept me wondering how they would wrap the various threads up for a good while.

Next is the Wind Up Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi, this was recommended here and in a list of recent cyberpunk novels on reddit, so I'm looking forward to it.

CalamariFritti

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119737017#Comment_119737017

A little bit into book 2 and there must have been a short story or novella in-between. Bit of a jump in the storyline.

Starting to struggle with the lead character. To really enjoy a story I need to like my main protagonist a bit or else not get too attached. But this is opulent writing in first person narrative and the guy seems to turn more and more into a whiny arsehole. I'll give it another few chapters but I'm a bit turned off atm.

Nody

Read the " KJ Parker's "The Siege" trilogy based on @ixoy description and liking Parker as an author in general and highly recommended. I liked how they were stand alone yet tied together.

"Babylon 5 - Dark Genesis" after watching a Babylon 5 in depth review which simply made me fall in love even more of the series. Hard to get trilogy but covers the foundation of the Psi core force (this is book 1, waiting on the other two to arrive).

Re-read the "Theirs is not to reason why" series by Jean Johnson; love the series fast pace and picked the prequel trilogy of "First Salik War" to my reading list.

Xofpod

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, Becky Chambers.

Enjoying it so of far. Reminds me of the old comic strip Ace Garp Trucking Co., for those with long memories.

Thargor

Galaxias by Stephen Baxter, he used to be my favourite sci-fi author because of all the Xeelee books but I just cant read him anymore, its always the same smug character explaining stuff ad nauseum, just so boring, hated it.

gameoverdude

Started reading dune, losing interest now.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119814275#Comment_119814275

Before the film came out, i thought id buy the book and try to read it before seeing the film. I found it a tough read and probably only got 10% of the way through it.

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119814275#Comment_119814275

Read it way back when, in HS in the US in the 1970's. All time great read, but it was a book of its time with its emphasis on ecology, and a plot like a spy novel. Back then, there wasn't a lot to choose from - Tolkien of course, Heinlein and all the various military-style SF. Dune was different to a great degree.

I'd recommend keeping going. If you've seen the any of the movies, just forget them, Dune really wasn't about the spectacle of it all. TBH I haven't seen the "Timothy Chalumet/that WWE wrestler guy" version, I hear its pretty good but the trailers don't seem to be right. And the first De Laurentiis movie was laughably bad.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119814498#Comment_119814498

Haven't seen the films, but will take your advice and persevere with the books. Cheers.

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119814614#Comment_119814614

Just the first 3. The rest can be avoided with no loss. Frank Herbert really wasn't that great of a writer, had one good series in him.

ixoy

* "The Last Gifts of the Universe" by Rory August. Bit of a Becky Chambers "solarpunk" vibe to this, it's about a brother and sister who search old worlds for the key to preventing humanity's destruction. I liked the characters although I did find that the alien civilisations they examined didn't seem nearly alien enough. A slim fast read anway.

• "A Time of Blood" by John Gwynne, the second in his "Of Blood and Bone" trilogy. Struggled a bit with this - suffered very much being a middle book. Lots of action scenes but I didn't feel the plot progressed and the world building was a bit middling. Disappointing really.
• "Kingdoms of Death", the fourth book in Christopher Ruocchio's "Sun Eater" series. Not quite living up to the previous two, this is still a strong installment that suffers a bit from a flabby middle before ending on a strong high in its final 100 pages or so. All still more than good enough for me to have the fifth book on order.

ixoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119741426#Comment_119741426

Hadrian does tend towards the melodrama, which some of the other characters mock him a bit for. I think its tone suits the books as the scale grows larger but it doesn't really go away. I really like the series but if you're hoping for a big shift in his character's outlook than you'll be left wanting.

CalamariFritti

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119815758#Comment_119815758

Stuck with it. well advanced in book 3 now and I don't regret it. He did annoy me a few times but it's still a very good series with all the ingredients.

ixoy

• "Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 1" by Christopher Ruocchio. It's a collection of stories set in the universe of the Sun Eater series. They're not the first person perspective of the main series but instead tales of other people - some known, some unknown in the wider universe. I enjoyed this lot and sure it was free with Kindle Unlimited.
• "Kings of Paradise" by Richard Nell, the first book in his "Ash and Sand" trilogy. Very grim dark, it tells the dual stories of two young men growing up in very different circumstances - one a rich king's son, and the other very vicious (opening has him committing cannibalism!). It's a little rough in places but I enjoyed the story over all and will read the next park. Reminds me a bit of "Blood Song" for one part crossed with Abercrombie on a particularly vicious day.
• "Wisdom of Crowds" by Joe Abercrombie, the final book his 'Age of Madness' trilogy. I liked it but not as much as the previous ones - it felt a bit .. repetitive? I mean there's a point about the constant shift in power but always the same people getting crushed, but I felt as if the series could have been a duology than a trilogy. I also didn't care much for one twist and - despite knowing it's Abercrombie - I found some of the fates of the characters disheartening. Still had that great splash of cynicism and dark humour though and I'll definitely read his next work.

lordgoat

Scalzi - Locked In (series) loved it - great read

Tigana - GG Kay - loving it, can't believe it's taken me this long to read it.

shrapnel222

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119934137#Comment_119934137

better late than never!!

CalamariFritti

The Peripheral being on TV got me reading the same novel by William Gibson.

Found the staccato style a little difficult to get used to at the start, but really warmed to Gibson's style later on. After reading many multiple book sagas it was refreshing to read a single book novel.

Breezed through it fairly quickly and had a look what else he's got and in the middle of Neuromancer now. Which is heavy going simply by the sheer amount on concepts and ideas thrown at you with no further explanation. Stuff you kinda have to get as you go along (or not). But again, very good.