What Else Are You Reading - December 2012

[terpkristin]

New month! I'm still working on Dark Pursuit: The Lost Shinmahs, written by one of our own. I'm enjoying it well enough. I'm also listening to Blackbirds though since I haven't had much driving to do, I haven't had much chance to listen. I'll start The Hobbit soon. I have it in audio and print,not sure which I'll do.

[Kim]

This month I want to finish A Confederacy of Dunces and A Canticle for Leibowitz.

For my book clubs I shall hopefully read On the Road, The Diamond Age and No Orchids For Miss Blandish.

[Josh]

Having loved the Mistborn novels, I just picked up and sped through the Alloy of Law. I was pretty disappointed overall with the effort. Maybe I had expectations that were a little too high. Plus I really just don't like the Western motif; in general I don't like the Western stuff. Except for Tombstone.

[Sandi]

I'm very ambitious right now. I'm reading both The Hobbit and God's War on my Nook. I've got The Rook in hardback and am listening to Cold Days on my iPod.

[Kevin]

Josh wrote: "Having loved the Mistborn novels, I just picked up and sped through the Alloy of Law. I was pretty disappointed overall with the effort. Maybe I had expectations that were a little too high. Plus I..."

I also felt the same way. I love the Mistborn Trilogy, and had high hopes for the Alloy of Law. Pre-ordered the book on Amazon, and quickly read it, but I felt the book was too cliche.

[library_jim]

Just finished Caliban's War and deWitt's The Sister's Brothers which I thought was just amazing. Now onto Guards! Guards! and Old Man's War. Oh, and I'm reading the most recent Nick Hornby collection of his Believer essays on reading and Joe Queenan's book on reading, One for the Books. And The Deathly Hallows out loud to my daughter.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Now that NaNoWriMo is over, I'm going to try to get through some of the books I have through NetGalley, since they expire and all.

The Mad Scientist’s Daughter - read this last night and haven't written the review yet but for a sex with an android book, it's pretty thought provoking.

Nexus by Ramez Naam - only about 1/4 in, interesting experiment in shared consciousness and the ethical-political dangers

The Dervish - a novel set during the "first Arab spring," 1923.

Infidel by Kameron Hurley, getting ready for book #3

And just finished The World Jones Made by PKD for an SFF Audio readalong.

[[deleted user]]

I'll be starting The Hobbit soon and then I'll be going through WoT this month as well so I'll be caught up for the final book next month.

[Daran]

Kevin wrote: "Josh wrote: "Having loved the Mistborn novels, I just picked up and sped through the Alloy of Law. I was pretty disappointed overall with the effort. Maybe I had expectations that were a little too..."

I'm surprised, I thought alloy was wonderful. Sanderson is much better at character development than he was when he did Mistborn, and he's less caught up in the mechanics of his magic system than he was.

Of course, it could just be that I love westerns.

[RuthAnn]

Josh wrote: "Having loved the Mistborn novels, I just picked up and sped through the Alloy of Law. I was pretty disappointed overall with the effort. Maybe I had expectations that were a little too high. Plus I..."

I agree. I wasn't a huge fan of The Alloy of Law, either, but I've enjoyed nearly everything else in the Sanderson catalog. I do have The Way of Kings downloaded, I just haven't had the proper motivation to begin that tome. I'll probably push it off until January 2013.

[Josh]

I've also had The Way of Kings for a while but I have been hesitant to start it. I'm already beholden to Rothfuss and Martin and I don't want to be waiting on 3 series to eek along.

[Spencer]

I've got a good list for this month that I'm in process with: Caliban's War, The Dreaming Void (audio), The Passage, and Grave Peril along with The Hobbit

There are a few but I'm almost finished with The Dreaming Void as well as The Passage. The others are only a few chapters in...

[Pedro]

Currently reading A Crown of Swords, for the first time we don't have physical traits for characters that have been around for over 5000 pages being repeated for the millionth time, thank you!

Next I'll either read this month's bookclub pick The Hobbit or give Catching Fire a shot, even though I wasn't too impressed with the first.

[Thomas]

Reading Empire (In Her Name: Redemption) by Michael Hicks, and Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling. Started both in early November, but reading time has been scarce these days.

[Walter]

A bit over halfway through Jim Butcher's Storm Front. After that I'll most likely take some of my own advice and read two of this month's Indie Book Club reads, Lisa Williamson's Endings and Jade Kerrion's Perfection Unleashed.

[Dara]

Just started Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey. After that, I might try to read The Hobbit quickly. December is too busy for me to read a lot.

[Jenny]

I'm reading The Quantum Thief and I'm listening to From Dead to Worse on audio.

[Daniel]

I'm reading Azincourt, Gates of Fire, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, and Living Dead in Dallas (Hey don't judge me! ;-) ) The last one is just a little guilty pleasure because I enjoy the True Blood tv series.

[Dave]

Just finished Brandon Sanderson's novella The Emperor's Soul. Intriguing magic system but a little too much explaining going on. Still, I hope he revisits the world and setting.

Working my way through the Blade of the Immortal manga series. A little too much of the main character getting chopped up and then defeating his foes. Great art, nonetheless.

[Kate]

I'm reading The Book Thief, which one of the girls in work leant to months ago. I'm starting to get into it but I still find the style a little irritating.

Not sure if I'm going to get round to re-reading The Hobbit, I still haven't started by Wheel of Time re-read, which is going to have to be seriously abridged at this stage.

[Jeff]

Still splitting time between The Blade Itself on Audible, Cold Days & The 4-Hour Chef on Kindle.

[Owen]

Just finished The Hobbit so probably going to contiune with the first Game of Thrones for now. I want to start something else but I'm not sure what yet...Will have to browse my to read list tonight :)

[[deleted user]]

Still reading Brandon Sanderson Warbreaker, im enjoying it, it is a little slow but its still engaging. Im not reading as much at the moment, for the first time in years i'm actually watching more films and playing more games and not feeling like reading weird right. Looking forward to the Old Mans War though and sequel.

[AndrewP]

Already finished this months S&L read The Hobbit. Continuing to work my way through Naked Empire in dead tree edition, Dracula on audiobook and No Orchids For Miss Blandish for my pulp book club.

[Stephanie]

I'm reading The Twelve right now. Afterwards I plan to read The Hobbit for the very first time. And then American Gods, which will be my 50th book this year (wee!). I'm hoping I'll finish early enough to also read the ARC of Etiquette & Espionage I got at SD Comic Con. I am thinking my sisters will enjoy Gail Carriger, so I am hoping to pass it along to one of them at Christmas-time. :)

Overall, it has been a good book year for me this year, discovering so many great authors -- mostly through this book club. Thanks everybody for updating on what you are reading here! :)

[Sara]

Currently I'm reading The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss, The Next Always by Nora Roberts, Touch of Steel by Kate Cross. I'm also listening to Cinder and A Werewolf in Manhattan.

[[deleted user]]

Josh wrote: "Having loved the Mistborn novels, I just picked up and sped through the Alloy of Law. I was pretty disappointed overall with the effort. Maybe I had expectations that were a little too high. Plus I..."

I kinda know what you mean, I didn't mind it being western in fact I quite liked it also the adjustments to the magic system were fun but I just felt it was a little rushed and the female character just felt too I dont know cartoony maybe, she just didn't feel real to me, I would read a follow on though as im interested in the ending.

[Mark]

terpkristin wrote: "New month! I'm still working on Dark Pursuit: The Lost Shinmahs, written by one of our own. I'm enjoying it well enough. I'm also listening to Blackbirds though since I haven't had much driving to ..."

Starwars Red Harvest. Finally bought it.

[terpkristin]

I finished Dark Pursuit: The Lost Shinmahs (my review) and Blackbirds (my review) this week. I'm still 3 books shy on my goal of reading 52 books this year (which I consider somewhat unfair, given that I actually did read a good bit of The Dirty Streets of Heaven and Tigana but since I didn't finish either, they don't count, officially).

One book will definitely be The Hobbit, which I'll probably do mostly in audio but I also have Kindle and print, too. Not sure what the other 2 will be. Perhaps Blue Remembered Earth in print and another short audiobook...hmm, we shall see.

[Keith]

I started and finished Changes on the 3rd and will probably buy and start Ghost Story later today. The growth in that serie sof books -- of the characters, the scope, and the skill of Jim Butcher is impressive. They started out as little more than supernatural potboilers that read like old spy novels from the 60s, but they've become something much more substantial over the years.

Apart from that, I'm reading Lady Chatterley's Lover, because every good libertine should.

[Rob, Roberator]

Keith wrote: "I started and finished Changes on the 3rd and will probably buy and start Ghost Story later today. The growth in that serie sof books -- of the characters, the scope, and the skill of Jim Butcher is impressive. They started out as little more than supernatural potboilers that read like old spy novels from the 60s, but they've become something much more substantial over the years.."

Just wait! Changes was my favorite book in the series until Cold Days

[Pedro]

Just finished Catching Fire and I have to thank the people who told me to give it a shot even if I was disappointed with The Hunger Games once the games started.

I'm still trying to digest how amazing I found the second one to be. It's everything I expected the first one would be and more. Definitely one of the most pleasant surprises I've had this year and I can't recommend it enough to people who've read the first, even if they didn't particularly care once the games started.

Feel free to read my full review by clicking here

Also about halfway done with A Crown of Swords and I'm definitely having some mixed feelings about it, but I'll finish it before forming a proper opinion about it. There have been some amazing moments here and there, but I feel like I'm not getting enough for the amount of pages I'm turning.

[Daniel]

So I've finished The Hobbit wow after 30 years you forget a lot. It was almost like reading it for the first time. Now it's on to Azincourt.

[Walter]

Just started Words Fail Me: What Everyone Who Writes Should Know about Writing by Patricia T. O'Conner.

[Rob, Roberator]

Finished listening to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

[Stuart]

I am reading

[David(LA,CA)]

Daniel wrote: "So I've finished The Hobbit wow after 30 years you forget a lot. It was almost like reading it for the first time."

Totally. I remembered a large amount of the broad plot strokes, but I had completely forgotten alot of the style choices. And the near constant singing.

Finished The Hobbit. Reading The President's Vampire to see if I can finish up the Nathaniel Cade series before the end of the year.

[Dan]

I'm so close to finishing The Rapture of the Nerds: A tale of the singularity, posthumanity, and awkward social situations.

[Nick]

Listening to a Christmas Carol as narrated by Tim Curry, and pushing my way through 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which I may end up Lemming.

[[deleted user]]

Pedro wrote: "Just finished Catching Fire and I have to thank the people who told me to give it a shot even if I was disappointed with The Hunger Games once the games started.

I'm still trying to digest how am..."


Mm I got the 3 books for £2 in a music store, you make me want to give them a try, I watched the film thought it was ok but it left me with an itch to find out what happened, now you have re awoken that itch with a rave review, will have to go there this christmas.

[Rob, Roberator]

Lucy wrote: "Mm I got the 3 books for £2 in a music store, you make me want to give them a try, I watched the film thought it was ok but it left me with an itch to find out what happened, now you have re awoken that itch with a rave review, will have to go there this christmas. "

But you have 12 more Dresden books to read before you're caught up! :-)

[Pedro]

Lucy wrote: "Mm I got the 3 books for £2 in a music store, you make me want to give them a try, I watched the film thought it was ok but it left me with an itch to find out what happened, now you have re awoken that itch with a rave review, will have to go there this christmas. "

I watched the film after reading the book and was a bit disappointed, think the book portrays the issue at hand and the oppression people live in a lot better.

Granted, you always have to cut out a lot from the book when you make a film, but I think they could've done a better job with making you care for the characters.

If you liked the film I thoroughly recommend giving the books a chance (at least up to Catching Fire, starting Mockinjay today).

[[deleted user]]

Rob wrote: "Lucy wrote: "Mm I got the 3 books for £2 in a music store, you make me want to give them a try, I watched the film thought it was ok but it left me with an itch to find out what happened, now you h..."

Oh no the Dresden Police :) lol

[Rob, Roberator]

Lucy wrote: "Oh no the Dresden Police :) lol "

Ask Traci, she'll tell you. If I see someone talking about Dresden, I'm all over it. ^_^

[[deleted user]]

haha well its working im now %20 through the second book.

[David Sven]

Finished reading Lois McMaster Bujold's Barrayar.
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Rereading Stephen King's The Gunslinger - Childe Dave to the Dark Tower came...again.

[Rob, Roberator]

David Sven wrote: "
Rereading Stephen King's The Gunslinger - Childe Dave to the Dark Tower came...again."

(view spoiler)[Does he have the horn of Eld? (hide spoiler)] :-D

[Sadie]

I'm also reading Pushups in the Prayer Room. It's a travel journal and not at all something I would normally read, but the author sure can write. (Yea, I know that that's a little bit of a ridiculous statement. You know what I mean though.)

[David Sven]

Rob wrote: "David Sven wrote: "
Rereading Stephen King's The Gunslinger - Childe Dave to the Dark Tower came...again."

[spoilers removed] :-D"

Well it depends if he's entered an alternate timeline or the same timeline ;)

[Joseph]

Finished Warriors of the Steppes: The Complete Cossack Adventures, Volume Two, which was magnificent, and started Adam Christopher's Empire State.