247 replies to this topic

[Teng Ai Hui]

It's June in my neck of the woods, so...

I just finished Ready Player Once.  I had a lot of fun with it.  It felt like the author took a D&D adventure plot, modernized it, and then placed it in a scifi / future Earth setting rather than a fantasy universe.

Now, I'm 2 chapters into I Am Legend and have read the first 2 storts in Peadar's short story collection.

Edited by Republic of Teng Aireland, 31 May 2012 - 09:00 PM.

[Grack21]

Reading Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards. Was iffy on it in the book store but someone here gave it a good review on goodreads plus its nightshade books, and they fucking rock.

[SkynJay]

Grack21, on 31 May 2012 - 09:06 PM, said:

Reading Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards. Was iffy on it in the book store but someone here gave it a good review on goodreads plus its nightshade books, and they fucking rock.

The author of that book is my friend on Goodreads.  I assumed he was someone from this forum, and now I don't know how he found me(though I assume he is befriending everyone in order to promote his book).

[Grack21]

Weird.

[Procrastimancer]

Grack21, on 31 May 2012 - 09:06 PM, said:

Reading Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards. Was iffy on it in the book store but someone here gave it a good review on goodreads plus its nightshade books, and they fucking rock.

I made it through the first chapter and didn't see any reason to continue.

---

Just started reading Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce. Haven't had much time to read tonight and won't until tomorrow because my employer believes nine hours between shifts is acceptable, but the little that I have read was somewhat troublesome. The dialogue was stiff and awkward, so obviously manufactured that I had to wonder whether it was on purpose. The writing was just fine otherwise. Again, not at all far into it though. Still hoping it doesn't end up as bad as The Silent Land.

[TheEvilKing]

In May I completed Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway which was pretty cool, and Nothing To Envy by Barbara Demick which was really interesting.

Now, amidst a storm of controversy, I am reading Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium by Sandy Mitchell.

[Alytha]

I'm reading Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb (was in my goodie bag at Eastercon), which I'm not terribly excited about so far, although the writing seems decent, and Elantris by Brandon Sanderson, which so far looks like his usual fare. With a plucky heroine.

[Lord of the Night]

Will hopefully be starting Fated by Benedict Jacka today or tomorrow, until then will be going through my audio-drama collection.

TheEvilKing, on 01 June 2012 - 01:33 AM, said:

Now, amidst a storm of controversy, I am reading Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium by Sandy Mitchell.

Despite all the flack that my recommendation started, or drudged up, I do hope you'll enjoy it. Would make all that crap worthwhile.


LotN

Edited by Lord of the Night, 01 June 2012 - 03:35 AM.

[FirelordSylar22]

Just started the audiobook for Clash of Kings now that season 2 is almost at an end. Following the same pattern I did with AGoT, will have to wait 2 seasons to read Storm of Swords though, which kind of sucks.

As for what I'm thinking of it so far. Well, it's great, Martin has amazing flow with characters that is hard to find. Even when a character is just telling something to another character for the sole purpose of informing the reader, it feels natural. Looking forward to seeing the Damphair and Euron Greyjoy in future seasons of the show, seem like some cool characters.

[Lord of the Night]

FirelordSylar22, on 01 June 2012 - 04:21 AM, said:

Just started the audiobook for Clash of Kings now that season 2 is almost at an end. Following the same pattern I did with AGoT, will have to wait 2 seasons to read Storm of Swords though, which kind of sucks.

Or you could just see where Season 3 ends at and listen to Storm of Swords up to that point.


LotN

[FirelordSylar22]

Eh, I wouldn't do that, because it would force me to stop halfway through the book, and I just can't do that. Once I start it, I'll have to finish it, so I would prefer to wait until season 4 is over.

I do find it cool to know, that if the show does get cancelled for some ungodly reason, after I go on a killing spree at HBO, I shall be able to read the books to finish the story.

I will have plenty of time in my padded cell.

[Alytha]

Lord of the Night, on 01 June 2012 - 03:30 AM, said:

Despite all the flack that my recommendation started, or drudged up, I do hope you'll enjoy it. Would make all that crap worthwhile.
LotN

Hero of the Imperium was good fun (a bit like Blackadder in space), although the structure of the stories got a bit repetitive with the 5 stories/novels in the omnibus.

[Lord of the Night]

FirelordSylar22, on 01 June 2012 - 05:13 AM, said:

Eh, I wouldn't do that, because it would force me to stop halfway through the book, and I just can't do that. Once I start it, I'll have to finish it, so I would prefer to wait until season 4 is over.

I do find it cool to know, that if the show does get cancelled for some ungodly reason, after I go on a killing spree at HBO, I shall be able to read the books to finish the story.

I will have plenty of time in my padded cell.

I feel the same way about books, once I start a book I damn well finish it.

Game of Thrones is actually a show I would not truly be bothered if it were cancelled, I don't mean that in a bad way, its just that the books are superior and they will continue on the story so either way. That said i'd like to see Ser Robert Strong on TV so bring that on.

Alytha, on 01 June 2012 - 05:17 AM, said:

Hero of the Imperium was good fun (a bit like Blackadder in space), although the structure of the stories got a bit repetitive with the 5 stories/novels in the omnibus.

Blackadder, and Flashman, was actually an inspiration for Cain. Although unlike Blackadder Cain is actually a hero, at least in my opinion.


LotN

[Skunkbelly]

I just finished The Fair Maiden by Joyce Carol Oates. My sister loves her, but the book was pretty "meh" for me. At least it was short (Only 150 pages or so). I kept waiting for some big awful thing to happen with at all the tension but it never really did. (There was a bit of drama at the end, but it wasn't the big, bad creepy sort of drama that I was expecting.)

I'm at a bit of a loss as for what to read next. I've got Middlesex and AS Byatt's Rangrok: The End of the Gods out from the library but neither of them are particularly singing to me so maybe I will return them both and get something else.

Edited by Skunkbelly, 01 June 2012 - 07:52 AM.

[Astra]

A couple of days ago I finished The Bonehunters [The Malazan Book of the Fallen #6] by Steven Erikson. Excellent read. I read it very slow but it is like I live with the characters.
Immediately after started the next, Reaper's Gale.

[nickg]

Wow, Malazan and 40k on the first page. This might not end well.

I finished a re read of Whites The Once and Future King. It had been nearly 10 years since I last read it. Definitely one of my favorites.

Almost done with The Emperor's Gift by Aaron Dembski-Bowden and about half done with Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear. Both are good. Actually, im having trouble choosing which one I want to finish.

[Grack21]

Dazed Bastard, on 01 June 2012 - 12:48 AM, said:

I made it through the first chapter and didn't see any reason to continue.

Not snobbish enough for you?
Also, thats an interesting statement, my copy doesn't seem to have chapters.

[Procrastimancer]

Grack21, on 01 June 2012 - 03:04 PM, said:

Not snobbish enough for you?

Exactly that. You got me. I only enjoy snobbish books.

Does that mean you only enjoy shitty books or is that too much of a generalization?

---

I am still having issues with the dialogue in Some Kind of Fairy Tale. I am split between wondering whether the dialogue is so stiff and awkward because the situation it revolves around is such an awkward thing or because Graham Joyce has lost his touch. I thought for a moment that I had similar issues with The Silent Land, but that was more a matter of the characters being so fucking dull that conversation between them was a sour note.

[blastocystosis]

About 100 pages into Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. I've never seen the show so this entirely fresh to me. I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far, not surprising since I've loved everything I've read by Neil.

After this I'm planning on going to Abercrombie's Before They Are Hanged. I'm loving this series so far. Helps with the wait time for Winds of Winter.

[Inigima]

I thought I posted this, but maybe it didn't take.

I finished The Poisonwood Bible. It owns hard and you should all read it.