Larry. Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 It's the dog days of summer. What are you reading, planning on reading, and what might you avoid reading yet once again? For myself, here's the list: [b]To Finish Reading[/b]: John Julius Norwich, [i]A Short History of Byzantium[/i] Angélica Gorodischer, [i]Las Jubeas en flor[/i] [b]To Read[/b]: Isabel Allende, [i]Inés del Alma MÃa[/i] Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger, [i]The Malleus Maleficarium[/i] Alan Moore, [i]Watchmen[/i] Probably not going to be reading much outside of history texts for the next couple of months, come to think of it. School is here (I start classes in a week, but began my in-service training earlier this week). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedEyedGhost Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I've been reading about this fracking heat wave in Denver. We broke a the consecutive days with a high above 90 today @ 19 straight days. The old record of 18 days had stood for 134 years! The next four days are projected above 90, but - yay! - Tuesday is only supposed to be 88. I'm so glad I'm not in TN anymore :P (j/k Larry - I'm glad I'm not in Memphis anymore, as I know most Tennesseans don't consider Memphis to be part of TN) Seriously though, I'm still working on Daniel Abraham's [u]An Autumn War[/u]. It's just as good, if not better than the previous two. I'm not going to predict what I'll read this month, because my prediction last month didn't go according to plan. I've also preordered so many books that are coming out this summer that any plans would definitely be subject to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry. Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 I never knew you used to live in Memphis! Actually, while Memphis is its own world, it's East Tennessee that most in the Nashville area don't claim outside of Football Saturdays in Knoxville - Memphis has some culture, ya know :P Temp's only going to be in the mid-90s later today, so with the heat index, that's only about 102-106, not bad. I remember last year, when it was around 120-125 and Metro Nashville schools had to let out before noon for a week so the kids could get home safely, since the buses weren't air-conditioned. As for Abraham, I really need to pick up his second book sometime. Almost did today, but I hate buying MMPBs, so I'll probably order a used hardcover sometime and then get the third book later in the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraspingfortheWind Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 [quote name='Dylanfanatic' post='1464824' date='Aug 1 2008, 02.03']A Short History of Byzantium[/i][/quote] I've always been a big fan of Norwich ever since I read Shakespeare's Kings. His popular histories are excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annelise Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I read a couple Ann Rule (true crime) books. [i]Every Breath You Take[/i] was a particularly poignant story, went beyond just reading about a case. I said I wasn't going to read Kim Harrison anymore but it was there at the library.. after a near abort, I did finish it but I don't think I'm going to check out the next one although it's also there at the library. For a couple books they were a guilty pleasure.. now they're just boring. I haven't read GGK since reading Finoavar years ago (which didn't really do it for me) but he was sitting there too so I thought, what the hell and checked out [i]The Lions of Al-Rassan[/i]. So far I'm enjoying it. Jehane reminds me of one of my favorite RPG characters. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrashalla Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Just finished: [i]Genghis: Birth of an Empire[/i] by Conn Iggulden. I'd say it was pretty damn good. I know it had some glaring historical inaccuracies, but it was still a good story and was told relatively well. Next Up: [i]The Edge of Reason[/i] by Melinda Snodgrass or [i]The Electric Church[/i] by Jeff Somers I haven't decided yet. Anyone care to push me in one direction or the other? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vethnar Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 [quote name='Dylanfanatic' post='1464824' date='Aug 1 2008, 08.03']John Julius Norwich, [i]A Short History of Byzantium[/i][/quote] If you can find it, read the three-volume history of Byzantium by the same author instead. It's a lot more interesting and informative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deornoth Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 [quote name='Thrashalla' post='1465169' date='Aug 1 2008, 09.48']Next Up: [i]The Edge of Reason[/i] by Melinda Snodgrass or [i]The Electric Church[/i] by Jeff Somers I haven't decided yet. Anyone care to push me in one direction or the other?[/quote] 'The Electric Church', a quick read with lots of guns and swearing. You can't go wrong! :thumbsup: 'The Edge of Reason' is good as well though, you've got some pretty cool reading ahead of you! I've finished reading Michael Moorcock's 'The Jade Man's Eyes', at only seventy four pages long it didn't exactly take long! What looks like a quick and easy 'Sword and Sorcery' tale turns out to be a lot more with an exploration of Elric's complex nature and events that are pivotal to the whole sequence. Definitely one for any Elric fans who haven't already read it in 'The Sailor on the Seas of Fate', my full review is over [url="http://www.graemesfantasybookreview.com"]Here[/url]. I've still got 'Implied Spaces' on the go which should be enough to keep me going through the weekend... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverlad Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Stopped halfway through Gardens of the Moon by Erickson, might go back, might not. Currently finishing Red Seas Under Red Skies, then it's on to The Shadow of the Wind and Rhetorics of Fantasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duchess of malfi Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I've been stuck at about halfway through [i]Matter[/i] by Iain Banks for a good week or so - I am enjoying the book but real life (work and housework and medical appointments and stuff like that have been getting in the way!) Hoping to read this month: finish [i]Matter[/i] Banks' [i]The Crow Road[/i] [i]An Autumn War[/i] - Daniel Abraham is a great new voice in fantasy! [i]Graceling[/i] - a fantasy debut novel soemoen around here seemed to like And I have a stack of historical fiction I am longing to read... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lessthanluke Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Im reading the Darkness That Came before still!. Enjoying it but haven't had much time lately. Will prob jump straight into the next one in the series after this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trencher Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 [quote name='Foreverlad' post='1465259' date='Aug 1 2008, 10.41']Stopped halfway through Gardens of the Moon by Erickson, might go back, might not. Currently finishing Red Seas Under Red Skies, then it's on to The Shadow of the Wind and Rhetorics of Fantasy.[/quote] I wanted to stop halfway through GoTM but finished it and now am thinking of stopping halfway through Deadhouse Gates. Currently finishing The Wicked Day (book 4 in Merlin series) by Mary Stewart. Like it more than I thought I would and believe Martin definitely used elements from this series or at least from the Merlin legend. Abercrombie is next on the list if I abandon ship on Erikson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverlad Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 [quote name='Trencher' post='1465402' date='Aug 1 2008, 13.03']I wanted to stop halfway through GoTM but finished it and now am thinking of stopping halfway through Deadhouse Gates.[/quote] Yeah, I have nothing against Erickson's work, but I consider myself a people-person. Erickson's work feels more like a story about the world instead of the people there within and it just isn't suiting me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry. Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 Bah! Read Erickson's [i]Arc d'X[/i] before making assumptions about his abilities with people! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverlad Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 [quote name='Dylanfanatic' post='1465480' date='Aug 1 2008, 13.45']Bah! Read Erickson's [i]Arc d'X[/i] before making assumptions about his abilities with people! ;)[/quote] Sorry! Should have clarified: What I've read of Erickson's Malazan leaves me feeling it's a world story more than an individual(s) one. I've no doubt Erickson can do great things with character arcs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry. Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 Erikson, not Erickson. Steve Erickson writes novels that straddle the speculative/realist divide; Steven Erikson (a pen name) writes the epic fantasies, for the most part ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guinevere Seaworth Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I'm halfway through Greg Keyes' [i]The Charnel Prince[/i]. The next two reads will be [i]The Blood Knight [/i]and [i]The Born Queen[/i]. After finishing The Kingdom of Thorn and Bones series, I'll tackle some historical fiction or non-fiction books. I haven't decided yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Storm Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Finished the [i]Black Ships[/i] last night, liked it, but the language and ideas were a little modern for ancient Greece, but it was fun read. Now I will read[i]Fingersmith[/i] by Sarah Waters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trencher Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 [quote name='Foreverlad' post='1465472' date='Aug 1 2008, 12.41']Yeah, I have nothing against Erickson's work, but I consider myself a people-person. Erickson's work feels more like a story about the world instead of the people there within and it just isn't suiting me.[/quote] That is what I felt about it as well. He wants to drive a story, but the characters were too thin to keep me interested so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreverlad Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 [quote name='Dylanfanatic' post='1465509' date='Aug 1 2008, 13.59']Erikson, not Erickson. Steve Erickson writes novels that straddle the speculative/realist divide; Steven Erikson (a pen name) writes the epic fantasies, for the most part ;)[/quote] D'oh! Erikson Erikson Erikson Erikson Erikson. I shouldn't mention authors until I know 'em too well to make such a stupid mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.