February 2011 - Reading Thread

[Peadar]

Moving on to Mary Beard's Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town. Fascinating so far.

[T.D. Newton]

Soulless - Gail Carriger

Writing and characterization is fantastic. Loving it so far. Would recommend it to anyone.

[Bellis]

I got a copy of Quiver ahead of the US release from Canada from my sister, who knows the author, Holly Luning. It's a psychological thriller about an academic who gets caught up in a cult organized around her subject, a medieval countess who tortured and consumed young peasant girls for their beauty. It is obviously a debut novel, with a bit too many adjectives, too much purple in the prose (though some might be deliberate). But it's still quite a good read, and has some complexity that wasn't totally apparent until I finished and thought about it. If the premise sounds interesting, support and indie Canuck and pick it up!

[Biter]

I read the last 30 pages or so of On Chesil Beach this morning and thought it was on par with the other McEwan books I've read - Atonement, Saturday and Enduring Love. I'm thinking of seeking out Amsterdam next, does anyone want to share their opinion on that or any other of his novels?

Also, I've just started Imperial Bedrooms.

[Inkdaub]

Just finished Joe Hill's Horns. This book made me cry. I've now begun reading Lauren Groff's Monsters of Templeton.

[palin99999]

Finished:

Brayan's Gold by Peter V. Brett - 7.8/10

The Silent Land by Graham Joyce - 5.5/10

Starting:

The Never Enders by Michael Sonbert

[UndergroundMan]

Recently finished:

"Lost in the Funhouse" by John Barth

"Unbroken" by Lauren Hillenbrand

"Hell House" by Richard Matheson

"Goodbye, Columbus" by Philip Roth

"The Ghost Writer" by Philip Roth

Re-read of "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov

Reading now:

"Rabbit, Run" by John Updike

"The Wounded Land" by Stephen R. Donaldson

"Wild Swans" by Jung Chang

"Tai-Pan" by James Clavell

Hope to get a hold of "The Heroes" soon so I can join all the conversation. Also, pre-ordered "Wise Man's Fear" and "White Luck Warrior" which I am ecstatic about.

[beniowa]

Last night I polished off the last few pages of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon. It was incredibly well researched and the prose was outstanding. That being said, it felt like the book was aimless, meandering. The book also felt like it lacked "oomph" making it hard to get emotionally invested in it. Thus the book ended up very good as opposed to great or fantastic.

I'm now reading House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds.

[Insomnium]

Reading The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams. I've been reading (in online reviews) that the action is supposed to be picking up, but I honestly did not mind how the characters were being developed in the very beginning. In fact, I feel like this change in pace is starting to happen, and I'm not liking where it's heading. I'm having trouble concentrating, and end up skimming a lot. Today, I've not been able to read more than half a chapter.

[MattL86]

Picked up all the Codex Alera books for my ereader, and I'm half way through book 2. Took a break to read The Heroes but I'm back at it now.

I have no idea how I feal about this series. Usually by now I would have dropped it or be loving it, but it's just...good, I guess. I can pick it up or drop it at any time, and it doesn't grip me but it doesn't bore me either. I can't decide if I love the Pokemon style magic or hate it. The characters are decent I suppose. I guess I'll keep reading until WMF comes out and take another break if I am not done by then.

Coincidentally, reading ebooks is officially great. Might be why I'm more lenient with this series.

[nickg]

Just finished Soldiers Live by Glen Cook. I really don't know why it took me so long to get to it. I liked it. Glen Cook hasn't disappointed me yet. Really hope he continues with he series.

Started Consider Phlebas late last night since I couldn't sleep. Been quite a while since I last read it. Picking up the Heroes tomorrow so will be starting that soon.

I also have Darkwar by Glen Cook that my wife brought home for me sitting on my shelf and I am sorely tempted to drop everything else and start it. Have not heard much about it though.

[williamjm]

Last night I polished off the last few pages of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon. It was incredibly well researched and the prose was outstanding. That being said, it felt like the book was aimless, meandering. The book also felt like it lacked "oomph" making it hard to get emotionally invested in it. Thus the book ended up very good as opposed to great or fantastic.

I read it last year and had a similar reaction to you. I liked the book a lot, but I didn't find the overall plot as compelling as some of the subplots - the relationship between the three main characters understandably dominated much of the book, particularly the latter stages, but I didn't find it as interesting as the early years of the Escapist or smuggling the Golem out of Prague. I'd say I preferred The Yiddish Policeman's Union out of the Chabon books I've read.

[beniowa]

I read it last year and had a similar reaction to you. I liked the book a lot, but I didn't find the overall plot as compelling as some of the subplots - the relationship between the three main characters understandably dominated much of the book, particularly the latter stages, but I didn't find it as interesting as the early years of the Escapist or smuggling the Golem out of Prague. I'd say I preferred The Yiddish Policeman's Union out of the Chabon books I've read.

That's good to hear about Yiddish as I still have that one on the pile. Thanks!

[Nearly Headless Ned]

Finished The Tooth Fairy by Graham Joyce. Pretty solid writing and its genuinely tense at times. But where the author really excells is in his excellent characterisation. The four lead characters, kids growing up in 60's Coventry are vividly brought to life.

Any suggestions for any of his other books?

Next up is Angela Carters The Magic Toyshop. Lovely writing style so far.

[RedEyedGhost]

Finished The Tooth Fairy by Graham Joyce. Pretty solid writing and its genuinely tense at times. But where the author really excells is in his excellent characterisation. The four lead characters, kids growing up in 60's Coventry are vividly brought to life.

Any suggestions for any of his other books?

He's one of those authors whose books speak to everybody in different ways. My favorite of his is The Tooth Fairy, followed very closely by The Facts of Life and Memoirs of a Master Forger by William Heaney. I really enjoyed Requiem and Smoking Poppy. And I liked but didn't love The Limits of Enchantment and The Silent Land (his latest).

WRT The Silent Land - it was extremely well written and can still vividly picture nearly the entirety of the book (I read it a solid two months ago) because it was so well written. It was just a bit to predictable and derivative for me. Adam wasn't bothered by the predictability and named it his best book of 2010. Here's a bit of his review:

Complaints are few and paltry. Those who prefer more ambiguity may be disappointed that we are given a final answer at the end (although hardly every mystery is answered) and viewers of a certain British SF TV series may work out what is going on long before the characters do. Otherwise this is a terrific novel.

The Silent Land (*****) is a quiet, intimate portrait of people, relationships and how they are tested by extraordinary circumstances. This could be one of the sleeper hits of the year.

So, basically you just need to read some synopsizes and check out whatever sounds good to you, because I haven't read a poorly written book from him.

[Seli]

I recently finished:

Agatha H. and the Airship City, simply a novelization of the Girl Genius comic. There are some small deviation from the comic, but I am not sure it actually adds.

Lifecycle of Software Objects by Ted Chiang, good and interesting but I read it quite soon after Zendegi by Greg Egan and the themes mix a bit.

The Crippled God by Steven Erikson, I think it is a fitting closure to the series but it needs some more rumination. I thought the fourth wall was under constant attack in this one, and it will lead to discussion on what part of all the series actually add to the main storyline.

Still plenty of books around I am reading or could be reading, a lot of short story collections I do not really feel like. Luckily the latest Umberto Eco novel is close at hand and I might start there.

[Gormenghast]

The Crippled God by Steven Erikson, I think it is a fitting closure to the series but it needs some more rumination. I thought the fourth wall was under constant attack in this one, and it will lead to discussion on what part of all the series actually add to the main storyline.

Oh, I love stuff that is "meta".

More cool things await me :)

[palin99999]

WRT The Silent Land - it was extremely well written and can still vividly picture nearly the entirety of the book (I read it a solid two months ago) because it was so well written. It was just a bit to predictable and derivative for me. Adam wasn't bothered by the predictability and named it his best book of 2010. Here's a bit of his review:

I'm a big fan of most of Joyce's works, but I thought that The Silent Land was extremely disappointing. The ending was very predictable and the dialogue was just plain bad.

Finished The Tooth Fairy by Graham Joyce. Pretty solid writing and its genuinely tense at times. But where the author really excells is in his excellent characterisation. The four lead characters, kids growing up in 60's Coventry are vividly brought to life.

Any suggestions for any of his other books?

The Tooth Fairy is my favorite of his books, but most of them are varying degrees of good to great. I actually prefer his YA stuff - specifically TWOC and Stormwatcher and some of his short stories are excellent, my favorite being Black Dust.

Also, if you're looking for an author similar to Joyce - Jonathan Carroll does a very good at the surreal.

[Nearly Headless Ned]

Thanks for all the Joyce recommendations. Silen Land intrigues the most. Will try to get round to it sometime this year.

[Inkdaub]

My Joyce rec is Requiem followed by Dreamscape. I also second the Carroll rec and my favorite of his works is Kissing the Beehive, which is the least surreal/fantastic of the lot.

My current reads...

I gave up on Monsters of Templeton for the time being. The characters, with one exception, are irritating and not very likable. I'll likely return to it one day.

So I went to the library and checked out some books. Among them is Cronin's The Passage, which I am reading now and enjoying.