What Else Are You Reading? September 2012

[Joseph]

Finished The Unforsaken Hiero and started something brand new: Time Will Tell by Donald Greig. Greig is an accomplished early music performer who sang with the Tallis Scholars and founded the Orlando Consort; the book apparently involves shenanigans surrounding a modern-day early music group and a mysterious medieval manuscript. I'm intrigued . . .

[Sasstronaut]

so many titles here, makes me want to add them all to my lists. I'll never catch up at this rate!
Reading 'American Gods', ' The Once and Future King', and 'A Brief History of Time' at the moment.
Fallen way behind on Sword and Laser.

[Carrie]

Finished Something Wicked This Way Comes this morning—just loved it. Tonight I'm starting The Strain. Hope it's as good as some people say.

[Kenny]

I'm listening to Ready Player One read by Wil Wheaton and then reading Caliban's War

[Rob, Roberator]

Kenny wrote: "I'm listening to Ready Player One read by Wil Wheaton and then reading Caliban's War"

I rarely do audiobooks outside of road trips, but RP1 is one I went out of my way to listen to because of Wil Wheaton.

I may do it for Red Shirts for the same reason.

[Kevin]

So far this month I've finished Throne of the Crescent Moon, pretty good Sword&sorcery in an 1001 nights setting and Brandon Sanderson's new novella Legion which is completely different from his usual epic fantasy and absolutely brilliant, if a bit short.

I'm currently reading Broken by Susan J. Bigelow which is an interesting mix of dystopia, space opera and superhero fiction. Not the best writing ever (it's a first novel and has some odd pacing and structure), but very enjoyable with some depth and completely different than anything else I've ever read.

After that I'm going with the The Killing Moon and sequel by N.K. Jemisin.

[David Sven]

Finished the audio book version of Catching Fire 2nd book of the Hunger Games Trilogy. I won't be continuing on to book 3.
My Review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I've decided to start Brian Sanderson's Mistborn series with the audible version of The Final Empire. I'm not sure how reading Abercrombie's First Law Series on Kindle while listening to Sanderson's Mistborn will work - but just thinking about feels like eating KFC and a Big Mac at the same time. MMMMM.

[Dharmakirti]

KevinB wrote: "So far this month I've finished Throne of the Crescent Moon, pretty good Sword&sorcery in an 1001 nights setting..."

If you liked Throne of the Crescent Moon, I suggest checking out Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson. It isn't epic fantasy, it's more of a middle-eastern urban fantasy adventure story which features computer hackers and djinn.

[Derek]

About 2/3 of the way thru audible The Dwarves by Markus Heitz read by Matthew Wolf. Loving it! Great story, well written characters, adventurous, humorous. It's a definite must read for anyone that enjoys epic fiction.

[Amy]

I was suffering from a bit of reading ADD last week and ended up starting a bunch of things. Now that I've settled down, I've finished Some Kind Of Fairy Tale, Glamour in Glass, Blood and Betrayal, and gave up on The Stress of Her Regard at the 35% mark.

I still have my re-read of The Passage on the go, and have one more novella in Lord John And The Hand Of Devils to read. I just started The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.

And to add a nice bit of irony: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity is still sitting on the coffee table half-read. ^^

[David Sven]

Finished Zoe's Tale, book 4 of John Scalzi's Old Man's War Series.
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Picking up Prince of Thorns as my lunch time read.

[David Sven]

Finished Abercrombie's Before They Are Hanged loved it.
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

On to the third book in Abercrombies First Law Trilogy Last Argument Of Kings

[Jeff]

I just finished The Heroes which I liked and the Blinding Knife, which was ok.

[Kevin]

I'm also reading the Blinding Knife, which I love so far.

[Walter]

Just getting ready to start Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language.

[Derek]

Walter wrote: "Just getting ready to start Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language."

Read that when it came out. Funny and interesting. Was the first book about language I read.

[Rob]

just finished foundation. listening to the fourth bear by jaspar afforded and am starting Daniel Abraham's the king's blood.

[Derek]

Darren wrote: "I read that last month. I was surprised at what a racist old biddy Christie was. It's not casual racism either. The "genetic reasoning" of Poirot is central to the plot. Horrible book. "

It was common thinking of the time. Can't really call her racist.

[Mike]

I just finished The Prefect, as the last Revelation Space novel and am currently reading Flatland.

[[deleted user]]

This month I finished The Count of Monte Cristo, which I had started in August, followed by A Feast for Crows. Now I'm working on A Dance With Dragons. Should I finish that in a timely fashion I'll get after Foundation.

[Derek]

Darren wrote: "Snokat wrote: "Darren wrote: "I read that last month. I was surprised at what a racist old biddy Christie was. It's not casual racism either. The "genetic reasoning" of Poirot is central to the plo..."

Not sure what her publishers have to do with your arguments.
But it's not racism, it's early attempts at profiling criminals, and the infancy of behavioral sciences. At that time there were always new theories about why people did things. If you're going to read older books, you have to keep in mind they reflect the thinking of the time they were written. If you can't handle that, I suggest you restrict to reading to the last 5-10yrs.

[Alterjess]

If you're going to read older books, you have to keep in mind they reflect the thinking of the time they were written.

"Keeping in mind" doesn't mean making excuses for. If a book was written during a time and place when racism was common and accepted, it's likely that the book will contain racist assumptions about human behavior. You can say that an author was no worse in this regard than his/her peers, but to say "it's not racism because everybody felt that way" is disingenuous at best.

[[deleted user]]

I'm new to this discussion board but I think I've seen a thread specifically about the topic of racism in certain periods of writing. I suggest folks move this discussion over there. So we can stay on topic.

[Jonathan]

Mostly scholarly stuff. Media Studies: A Reader, Media/Cultural Studies: Critical Approaches, mostly at the moment as they are actually books for my class this semester.

[Joseph]

Finished Time Will Tell which was full of interesting (albeit fictionalized) details about medieval music studies and performance, and started Tales of the Far West, a (game-tie-in, I believe) anthology of Western/steampunk/wuxia mash-up stories. Names on the table of contents include Scott Lynch, Matt Forbeck and Ari Marmell.

[Sara]

I recently reread Angelmakerby Nick Harkaway. Now I'm having trouble deciding on a new book. Things I'm trying are: On Basilisk Station, Touched by an Alien, The Iron Wyrm Affair. None of these are quite doing it though, so I may go back and reread The Night Circus

[Derek]

Finished The Dwarves by Markus Heitz. Great book, can't wait for Audible to put the next book out. Now I'm listening yo Seven Wonders by Adam Christopher. superhero fun.

On Kindle, I'm reading Frozen Heat by Richard Castle. Just started, so no opinions yet. But I enjoyed the previous books.

[Sandi]

I finished listening to The Apocalypse Codex this morning. The Laundry series is getting better and better. Unfortunately, it left me wanting more. I hope the next one comes out soon.

On my Nook, I just started Let the Right One In. It's good so far and looks like it will be a quick read.

[Jessy]

Thames wrote: "so many titles here, makes me want to add them all to my lists. I'll never catch up at this rate!
Reading 'American Gods', ' The Once and Future King', and 'A Brief History of Time' at the moment. ..."

I love "America Gods" it is a great read

[Derek]

Read A Wanted Man by Lee Child. Always enjoy a Reacher novel. Discovered a new series to try, Don't Know Jack by Diane Capri. It's about FBI agents assigned to finding Reacher so he can be published for his vigilantism.

[Tamahome]

Almost done with The Stand (orig).

[Tamahome]

How is Existence?

[Aeryn98]

Finished Blinding Knife in just a couple of days. I also loved it. Couldn't help comparing Kip to Fitz. Its great to find a series that as soon as you finish the book you want more. At the same time though...sigh...the wait.

3 more days to Steven Erikson so am biding the time with a Vlad Taltos novel by Steven Brust, since they are short.

Also listening to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter...meh

[Joseph]

NMC wrote: "Nearly finished with Existence. (Don't think I've read a Brin book I haven't liked). I'm onto Midworld next. Never read Alan Dean Foster, so I hope it's good."

Midworld -- There's a book I've not read in a very long time, but I remember it fondly.

[Rainer]

The Way of Kings :)
I'm about a third into the book and it's good so far.

[Tamahome]

NMC wrote: "Tamahome wrote: "How is Existence?"

Excellent! It started off a little slow for the first 30 pages or so and then really picked up. It has a little of everything: alien contact, meaning of existen..."

I know Tom's reading it. I started it but it seemed pretty long.

[Sandi]

I started listening to Existence a couple of weeks ago, but my iPod lost my place, so I moved on to something else. I'll probably listen to it when I'm done with Winter's Tale.

[Tamahome]

I was checking out The Highest Frontier by Joan Slonczewski. Yeah, the author of the feminist novel A Door into Ocean is still around. Maybe S&L should do a militant feminist sf novel some time (not The Female Man).

[Manuel]

I'm plowing through Terry Goodkind's The Sword Of Truth series. Again. :)

[Jeff]

Being a reader of The Verge, I saw they started a book club and their first one was Ubik. Started off a little confusing but getting into it. It's my first PKD read and from what I hear it might start an addiction.

[Kevin]

Manuel wrote: "I'm plowing through Terry Goodkind's The Sword Of Truth series. Again. :)"

Did you have a problem with all the Objectivism of Ayn Rand that he puts in all the books, but Wizard's First Rule?

[Derek]

Finished Seven Wonders by Adam Christopher, OK superhero tale. There are better stories out, but not too bad if you like these types of stories.
Now listening to Bloodstar: Star Corpsman: Book One by Ian Douglas.

[Rob, Roberator]

Snokat wrote: "Finished Seven Wonders by Adam Christopher, OK superhero tale. There are better stories out, but not too bad if you like these types of stories."

Did you read Empire State? If so, how does it compare? (ie which do you think is better)

[Kdawg91]

NMC wrote: "Tamahome wrote: "How is Existence?"

Excellent! It started off a little slow for the first 30 pages or so and then really picked up. It has a little of everything: alien contact, meaning of existen..."

Im glad I read this! I have it on kindle, and it got buried under other stuff, time to check it out

[Derek]

Rob wrote: "Snokat wrote: "Finished Seven Wonders by Adam Christopher, OK superhero tale. There are better stories out, but not too bad if you like these types of stories."

Did you read Empire State? If so, ..."

Missed that one. Will have to look for it.

[Rob, Roberator]

Snokat wrote: "Missed that one. Will have to look for it."

I think it was a club pick earlier this year (Tom mentioned it during the interview with the author), and you're the first one I've seen whose read his new one.

I haven't read either, so I'll likely give Empire State a try first when I get to him. Thanks anyways.

[terpkristin]

Been a productive end to the week and start of the weekend as I've finished some quick and easy books:
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
Fun House: A John Ceepak Mystery
Tough Shit: Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good

All of those are in audio. I'm going to start up on another easy-breezy one tomorrow, Leader of the Pack, also in audio.

After that (which should only take a day or two), I'll probably start up something a bit deeper, I'm thinking either Legend or Blackbirds.

Also, I've started The Way of Kings. It's been love since the first chapter.

[Tamahome]

terpkristin wrote: "Tough Shit: Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good..."

Ah. Must be Kevin Smith.

[Rick]

IN the middle of Seven Wonders and just started Dirty Streets of Heaven by Tad Williams. If you're a Dresden Files fan, Dirty Streets would be up your alley if the first 100 pages are like the rest of the book.

[Daran]

I just finished the fourth Iron Druid Chronicle, Tricked, next is Tongues of Serpents.

I'm really liking the Iron Druid series. It resembles the Dresden series, but it's a little more chaotic. And a little more bloody, but I love the focus on Celtic mythology. The appearances by gods of the Norse, Hindu, and Navajo pantheons are also entertaining.