August Reads

[mashiara]

I'm surprised nobody started the new thread yet. :)

I finished the excellent Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey -and yes, I do know who hides behind that name and I'm not surprised I loved it so much. A pleasure to read and a book that I couldn't put down, I was sad to see it end. The two main characters were very well portrayed, especially Miller. I'm not normally a fan of space opera, unless the first books of the Honor Harrington series count, but this one drew me in and didn't let go until the end. I'll definitely read the second book, it just moved high up on my list.

My next read will probably be The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.

What are you guys reading?

[Mlle. Zabzie]

Sharps by K.J. Parker. It's a refreshing change after the 2nd Deborah Harkness book (Shadow of the Night) which I certainly read, but I didn't particularly enjoy. Next in my queue is a re-read of Tender is the Night followed by Kitty Steals the Show.

[mashiara]

You didn't like the second Deb. Harkness book? Hmm... Well, I was going to wait for the paperback anyway.

[SkynJay]

Also still reading Sharps. Once done there I will read the last Zahn quadrail book, which are decent popcorn space adventures.

[Raskolnikov]

I just started Harbour by John Ajvide Lindqvist. I consider Let the right one in the best modern vampire novel I've read (even more so than The Passage), but his take on zombies, Handling the undead,was ultimately disappointing despite starting off great.

[Mlle. Zabzie]

You didn't like the second Deb. Harkness book? Hmm... Well, I was going to wait for the paperback anyway.

It might have been my mood - I've been cranky recently. However, I found it contrived and the characters even more Mary Sue/Gary Stu-esque than they were in the first book. It felt like a frolic and detour for the author to show off, but ultimately without a point. I finished it, so it wasn't bad enough for me to put down, but at the end of the day it felt like a cop-out (and was deeply predictable) and I left it feeling unsatisfied.

[wolverine]

Just read Lords of the North, the 3rd Saxon Chronicles book from Cornwell. He tends to be a bit formulaic but I still enjoyed it and thought about hopping right into the next one. Instead I took Catch-22 off the shelf and will be interested to see how I like it.

[Mr. E]

About halfway through Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years 1963-1965, second part of Taylor Branch's excellent trilogy. Got an Octavia Butler novel up next, but seeing the new Man of Steel Trailer with Jor-El's dialogue taken straight from All-Star Superman has really gotten me hankering to read All Star again.

[Guinevere Seaworth]

I finished The Immortal Prince, the first book of The Tide Lords series by Jennifer Fallon. It had some neat concepts regarding immortality (how does an immortal commit suicide?) and I liked the main protagonist (Arkady), but the infodumps were heavyhanded and choppy.

I've started the second book in the series today, The Gods of Amyrantha.

[Jodan]

1st day of the month, new book for me, nice and neat. I opted to go for Neverwhere by Gaiman, 50 pages in and I've already got the feeling I'm going to like it more than American Gods.

When I've finished Neverwhere I've got Cloud Atlas lined up next.

[Crown]

Joe Abercombie's The First Law trilogy, Davis Mitchell's Cloud Atlas or continue my A Song of Ice and Fire re-read (currently on Clash).

[Biter]

Having finished Karen Russell's Swamplandia! last month (yesterday), I thought I'd try reading Murakami, so Kafka on the Shore is next. Swamplandia! was great, by the way.

[Marcus Cicero]

Add my name to the 'Just finished reading Sharps' list. It was my first KJ Parker, and I liked it quite a bit, though I still don't know how I feel about the ending. The revelation concerning the conspiracy was a little predictable, and there may have been too many red herrings.

[Garett Hornwood]

I'm continuing to read The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan, which I started Sunday.

Next will be New Spring in continuation of my reading of The Wheel of Time, I'm reading it after FoH after getting opinions on when in the series (obviously not before TEotW) is the best time to read it. I'll probably start The Making of Medieval Spain by Gabriel Jackson by the end of the month, but probably won't finish it.

That's what August is shaping up for me, now that ADWD trade paperback won't come in the US until March 26, 2013.

[Procrastimancer]

I read The Last Policeman by Ben Winters, which was fairly decent. I think it handles the whole 'the world has x months before an asteroid puts an end to it' thing quite well, but the mystery consists of the main character running around doing detective work that goes absolutely nowhere until, when a dead-end is finally hit, he suddenly exclaims 'Aha!' and an entirely random plot point materializes to open up a new lead. On the positive side, I can't complain about the plot being predictable...

The mystery was a disappointment, but I enjoyed the book. I hear there may be more coming and there's a good chance I'll pick those up, too. Can't help it. I want to know how it all ends. When it comes to these sorts of stories, I secretly hope that the asteroid will just barely miss... not because I want a happy ending or because the world doesn't end, but because I want to see how people cope with the chaotic shitstorm of the aftermath.

[RedEyedGhost]

There are some other whodunnits later in the series as well, there are more of them in the second half than there are books with Warrior's Apprentice-style space battles.

Cool, I prefer the space battles, but I like whodunnits too. Miles was pretty awesome in Cetaganda... I'm having a hard time deciding if I like Miles Naismith or Miles Vorkosigan more :)

[PaulineMRoss]

I'm struggling through The Black God's War by Moses Siregar III. I've heard so many good things about it, and it ought to be my kind of book, but I'm finding it heavy going so far.

After that, I think it's time to restock the Kleenex and risk another Guy Gavriel Kay: A Song For Arbonne.

[Antonius Pius]

Currently halfway through Flashman's Lady. Not sure what I'll pick up after that. Possibly ADWD, as I seem to have forgotten a lot of details.

[Alytha]

I put Nova Swing by M.John Harrisson on hold until the weekend, because it's a bit too heavy for bedtime reading, which is all the reading I have time for at the moment.

Started The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volume 6. Have read the Neil Gaiman story so far, which is quite interesting

[kiyoaki]

80% into Robin Hobbs' Mad Ship (yes, the Kindle version) and liking it well enough. It's rare and interesting to have this abundance of strong female characters in a fantasy novel. I mean, EVERY female character in this trilogy could have her picture filed under Strong Women in the dictionary, from the trading clan matriarch right down to Cpt. Psycho's illiterate hooker. It also makes for a nice change in perspective after the Farseer trilogy and Fitz's and Burrich's manly let's-drown-our-troubles-in-alcohol approach to life.