What Are You Reading?

Dan_Solo

Not sure if I've made a massive blunder and veered off into something/romance territory here, but I'm about 1/4 into Ann Aguirre's Blue Diablo. It's nothing outlandish or anything (modern occult talent subcultures) but is decently told and the Mills and Boon doesn't seem to be rearing its ugly head too much.:D

mcgovern

Finished Grass, wasn't overly impressed. None of the surprises were surprising, and felt like it was written longer ago than it was.
Stored Engines of God by Jack McDevitt, based on the "My Favourite Sci-fi books" thread. I'd read the second book in the series a good few years ago, without realising it was part of a series. It's interesting so far, though it's just been setting up the universe.

growler

Finally started into Reamde by Neal Stephenson, I know he's not everyone's cup of tea, but I do enjoy the feeling of picking up a novel that weighs more than my child.

pH

growler wrote: »

Finally started into Reamde by Neal Stephenson, I know he's not everyone's cup of tea, but I do enjoy the feeling of picking up a novel that weighs more than my child.

I really like Stephenson, some of his earlier stuff are among my favourite ever books - however REAMDE - ughh.

Starts off with a multiple chapter lecture on how good he'd be at designing a MMO then becomes a mediocre sub standard dan brown/tom clancy globe trotting spy thriller.

ixoy

Reading "Blue Remembered Earth" by Alastair Reynolds. About 12% in so far - a slower pace and, being in the near future, not quite as immediately intriguing as his Revelation Space material. Early days yet though.

pH wrote: »

I really like Stephenson, some of his earlier stuff are among my favourite ever books - however REAMDE - ughh.

'Uggh' - best one line description of 'REAMDE'. A massive disappointment after the excellent 'Anathem'.

But hey don't listen to us - you might like it

pH

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Martian-ebook/dp/B009IEXKXI/ref=zg_bs_362827031_3

Wow wow wow wow wow (5 stars!)
(and it's 0.77p on amazon.co.uk)

A Modern day Robinson Crusoe, part McGyver, part science lesson part thriller.

If this is the start of the self-publishing ebook revolution then count me in!

mcgovern

pH wrote: »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Martian-ebook/dp/B009IEXKXI/ref=zg_bs_362827031_3

Wow wow wow wow wow (5 stars!)
(and it's 0.77p on amazon.co.uk)

A Modern day Robinson Crusoe, part McGyver, part science lesson part thriller.

If this is the start of the self-publishing ebook revolution then count me in!

For that price I had to order it
It's $1.15 for anyone who orders off Amazon.com.

Trojan

It better be good now, I just impulse bought cos of you guys

OwaynOTT

Well the brief description of the book hooked me. Going to try this after I finish, or rather retread, The Blade Itself.
Im loving it and I much prefer the first law trilogy to the standalones. Going to be interesting to pick up on the little hints of where the characters end up at the end.
I think Logen was wasted in Red Country as well, uis character starts and ends wjth almost perfect symmetry in the trilogy and lets face it him being lamb adds very little to red country.

keane2097

Perdido Street Station turned into a real winner IMO.

Wabbit Ears

Reading 'The Daylight War'

Was a little put of by the generally negative reviews and for some of it I have to agree, The book does in no shape deliver the daylight war the name and the end of the last book promised and it focuses a lot on a secondary character I couldn't care less about.

BUT!!!! ( I like big buts and I cannot lie) I'm really really enjoying the book as much as I did the first two in the series of 5.

Zapp Brannigan

Thanks to some time off and waiting for UPS to deliver my new computer I've already finished 'The Eye of the World' and am now on to 'The Great Hunt'.

I've said it during my last re-read a few years back but I love starting the WoT again, just brings me right back to when I first started reading Fantasy and everything was so fresh and amazing. Sure it gets pretty bad in the middle but I still love it.

OwaynOTT

Zapp Brannigan wrote: »

Thanks to some time off and waiting for UPS to deliver my new computer I've already finished 'The Eye of the World' and am now on to 'The Great Hunt'.

I've said it during my last re-read a few years back but I love starting the WoT again, just brings me right back to when I first started reading Fantasy and everything was so fresh and amazing. Sure it gets pretty bad in the middle but I still love it.

I feel the same way about it as it was my first fantasy book to read in my younger days.
I have to say the only Jordan book I dislike is Crossroads but I would still reread it but huge swatches of it would be skipped.
Gathering Storm is the only Sanderson one that will ever get reread.

On a bit of a rereadathon currently, what with just finishing The Blade Itself and starting name of the wind.

gufnork

Finished 'priest kings of Gor', straight onto 'nomads of Gor' now. These are kind of like car-crash books, you know you shouldn't look but you just can't help yourself.

Paddy Samurai

Part 2 of The Craw trilogy.
Dark Historical Fantasy ,not for the faint hearted.
I'm about 30% and enjoying it big time.

Wabbit Ears

Finished "the Daylight war" and now onto "The Twelve". I'm kinda re-remembering that "the passage" was hyped up and was actually kinda a jumbled up directionless, not all that well written mess, but Ill stick with it.

AnCapaillMor

How was the daylight war, read the painted man and was so so about it.

pH

Just finished the first 2 novels in the Dresden files (Jim Butcher). I'm a big fan of "urban fantasy" - however unlike say the rivers of london books (or indeed Harry Potter/American Gods) we don't get to see our world peeled back by the protagonist to reveal the fantasy, we meet Harry an experienced cynical wizard - "been there done that" type chap - and the storytelling suffers in my opinion.

I'd heard the series improves? Or is it more of the same?

mcgovern

Finished Engines of God, it was very good, looking forward to the rest of the series.
Started The Rats by James Herbert, its quite short but so far its been interesting.

old hippy

mcgovern wrote: »

Finished Engines of God, it was very good, looking forward to the rest of the series.
Started The Rats by James Herbert, its quite short but so far its been interesting.

There's a blast from the past. I read that 30 years ago. The sequels Lair and Domain aren't half bad. There's also a long out of print graphic novel sequel "The City" which I haven't read but those in the know recommend...

Bits_n_Bobs

Trojan wrote: »

It better be good now, I just impulse bought cos of you guys

Yup - I got it on the recommendation as well. If it sucks I will hunt down the op and burn his kindle at the stake....

OwaynOTT

pH wrote: »

Just finished the first 2 novels in the Dresden files (Jim Butcher). I'm a big fan of "urban fantasy" - however unlike say the rivers of london books (or indeed Harry Potter/American Gods) we don't get to see our world peeled back by the protagonist to reveal the fantasy, we meet Harry an experienced cynical wizard - "been there done that" type chap - and the storytelling suffers in my opinion.

I'd heard the series improves? Or is it more of the same?

The quality of the books definitely improve as you go along and the world does open out a bit more as well. it becomes less an urban detective story, to the point where he doesn't detect anymore.
Peter Grant is learning along with you, so it's never really like that but Harry Dresden does uncover layers in his world.

Trojan

I found the Dresden Files really good as long as I didn't take them too seriously, but I really liked them. (It helps that Dresden has a similar sense of humour to me.)

AnCapaillMor

Finished the Lies of Locke Lamora, started the 2nd last night. Liked it but it didn't blow me away.

sentient_6

I attempted to read Anansi Boys a couple of years ago & gave up. I actually have a big pile of books i gave up on at one stage or another that I've decide to work through after going back to the Book Thief recently. Absolutely amazing book, don't know why i originally abandoned it.

So Anansi Boys was next in the pile & i finished last night. Fairly disappointed i have to say, it just didn't click, & i loved American Gods & Neverwhere. Ah Well.

So next up is Frankenstein. The pile is fairly random! Dune.....Shadow of the World...Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. All to look forward to.

mcgovern

Finished The Rats, it was short but enjoyable. Now reading The Martian. It's interesting and different, it could probably have done with more proofreading but it's no worse than some other ebooks I've read.

OwaynOTT

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Finished the Lies of Locke Lamora, started the 2nd last night. Liked it but it didn't blow me away.

I found I liked the second more and it would be one of my favourites of the las5 few years.
The books are very good but then to get a bit hyped up on forums, it could be to do with the extended wait involved for the third book.

keane2097

AnCapaillMor wrote: »

Finished the Lies of Locke Lamora, started the 2nd last night. Liked it but it didn't blow me away.

Yeah I found after getting a few chapters in it was diverting enough but not exactly a masterpiece so I put it away for a while. I've gone back to Robert Harris and his Cicero books, going through the second one called Lustrum now. Very entertaining.

Dan_Solo

sentient_6 wrote: »

So Anansi Boys was next in the pile & i finished last night. Fairly disappointed i have to say, it just didn't click, & i loved American Gods & Neverwhere. Ah Well.

Absolutely agree here.
Anansi Boys just seemed too jokey compared to American Gods, starting right off the bat with the name of the book...

Sleepy

The Great Hunt - Book 2 of The Wheel of Time.

Really getting into this now, it's gone from "meh, this is okay, I'm not sure I see what all the fuss was about" to one of those "can't put it down and go to sleep" reads. I know the series stagnates heavily before Sanderson rescues it in the last few books but so far, I'm really enjoying it.