215 replies to this topic

[Astra]

A few days ago I finished Flashback by Dan Simmons
Grim, realistic and mature.
A somewhat depressing book. More often than not it doesn't feel like Sci-Fi at all. Is our world going to be like that within the next 20 years? Who knows? We will see.
A very good book.


The next one is a return from reality to fantasy.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen has been waiting for me.
Book 5, Midnight Tides.

[Starkess]

Working pretty quickly through Blackout by Connie Willis. Enjoying it so far. Never read anything else by her, get the impression that there are other books set in this future, but this is the first book of a series and it feels like a fine starting point.

Also just got notice that my holds on Mastiff by Tamora Pierce and Kraken by China Mieville are ready, so I have a lot of reading to do in the next couple weeks!

Ormond, on 29 January 2012 - 05:03 PM, said:

Why would you have to make a "trip" to see if they have a copy? Doesn't your local library have an online catalog that you could access to see if they own a copy? Then if they do and no one else has it out, you could probably call to reserve it to make sure it's there when you go for it.

I was being lazy with my post, I did check the online catalog but I have to make the trip down there to pick it up.

[Petyr Baelish the First]

Just finished the Hammer by K.J. Parker. Wow I knew something was wrong but never expected what happened. It's a very gritty book, even gritier than the Folding Knife. Move on to some Abercombie.

[Sis Who Swears]

Just zoomed my way through the Saxon series by Bernard Cornwell. I liked them, some better than others but I wish they were meatier. I hate reading a book in a 2 days (or less), kinda makes me feel ripped off.

Going to read some Sharon Kay Penman next, I'm excited about that. Very meaty.

Edited by Sis Who Swears, 03 February 2012 - 04:20 PM.

[Starkess]

Petyr Baelish the First, on 03 February 2012 - 04:15 PM, said:

Just finished the Hammer by K.J. Parker. Wow I knew something was wrong but never expected what happened. It's a very gritty book, even gritier than the Folding Knife. Move on to some Abercombie.

I liked Hammer better than Folding Knife, but they are both excellent.

[Trinuviel]

After rereading the Hobbit I just had to continue and am now well into LoTR (for the fourth time). I also plan to actually finish The Silmarillion this time.

[Leofric]

Starkess, on 03 February 2012 - 04:01 PM, said:

Working pretty quickly through Blackout by Connie Willis. Enjoying it so far. Never read anything else by her, get the impression that there are other books set in this future, but this is the first book of a series and it feels like a fine starting point.

Haven't read Blackout/All Clear yet, but  have read her  Doomsday Day Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog which  also have the future historians travelling back to periods in history.  Both are great.

Currently I'm starting The Sunne in Splendour.  Ijust finished King's 11/22/63,  another history/time travel book to follow the theme of this post.

[beniowa]

Finished Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith.  On the one hand it was a very easy read and was well researched (the non-vampire parts anyway).  On the other, I didn't buy the premise of vampires being behind the Civil War at all.  Plus, I got really annoyed that the author had to quote the secret Lincoln dairy several times a page, which tended to take me out of the narrative.  Frankly, I wouldn't have read this if a friend from work hadn't given it to me.

Also read Galactic North by Alastair Reynolds.  Most of the stories in the collection were fairly good.  The title story of the collection was good, but I wish Reynolds had put it in with Absolution Gap instead of writing it separately.

Now reading Percepliquis by Michael J. Sullivan.

Edited by beniowa, 03 February 2012 - 05:06 PM.

[Cuchulain]

beniowa, on 03 February 2012 - 05:04 PM, said:

The title story of the collection was good, but I wish Reynolds had put it in with Absolution Gap instead of writing it separately.

The story is separate because Reynolds actually wrote it years before Absolution Gap (It was originally published back in 1999).

[beniowa]

Cuchulain, on 03 February 2012 - 07:43 PM, said:

The story is separate because Reynolds actually wrote it years before Absolution Gap (It was originally published back in 1999).

Maybe so.  But then he should have done something different for the ending of Absolution Gap then.  Neither that plotline nor the Inhibitors were adequately dealt with in the novel.

[Starkess]

Finished Blackout. It was really good, so much that I had to immediately check out All Clear (the sequel) instead of hitting up the other books I have.

Luckily I have a bit of free time coming up so I should be able to get through a few books!

[SkynJay]

Finished Eisenhorn.  Now I am going to reread Kitty and the Midnight Hour.  Was going to pick up the new one, and realized I had no idea what was going on the series anymore.  So I will start over.

Thats right.  I went from Space Deamons to Werewolves.  Reading some high brow stuff these days.

[Grack21]

Almost done with Death of Kings, then I have no idea what I'm going to read next.

[jagilki]

Finished Winds of Khalakovo.  Took way longer than I wanted it to, just due to distractions.

Reading Theft of Swords by Sullivan now.

[Peadar]

On a good run at the moment.

I really enjoyed Guy Haley's Reality 36 and will definitely pick up the sequel when it arrives.

Up next -- I can barely wait -- Nick Harkaway's Angelmaker.

[Antonius Pius]

Am rereading The Darkness That Comes Before, but I've also got Century of the Soldier lying in wait. I'm a bit tempted to put tDTCB down in favour of CotS.

Decisions, decisions...

[Horza]

I'm glad no one tried to get between me and The Iron Dragon's Daughter this last couple of days.

[Ormond]

I finished Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton. It's basically a Victorian novel of manners where almost all the characters are dragons (a human ambassador shows up briefly very near the end but really isn't part of the story.) The main plot lines have to do with two sisters who are having trouble finding suitable husbands, set in a culture where the aristocracy literally eats those who are deemed to be physically weak, and where funerals involve the family eating their deceased loved ones. I found the book very well-done but not terribly exciting.

Now I've started The Player, Michael Tolkin's very dark comic story of a Hollywood producer.

[Guinevere Seaworth]

I finished Fire Study, the last book in the series, by Maria Snyder.  Even though it closed all the threads neatly I was less engaged in this concluding volume.  I can't put my finger on why that is.

I've already devoured 150 pages of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.  I'm loving it so far.

[Aximand]

A slight continuation from vey late January, but I am making my first jump into Malazan Book of the Fallen. I am currently about 200 pages into Gardens of the Moon. Not entirely sure what to think about it yet.