What Else Are You Reading - January 2013

[David Sven]

Loved the review Rob - but your link isn't working here

[Rob, Roberator]

David Sven wrote: "Loved the review Rob - but your link isn't working here"

whoops. fixed.

[Ray]

Just finished my third reading of R. Scott Bakker's Second Apocalypse series (Prince of Nothing Trilogy, Aspect-Emperor Books One and Two). Hard not to marvel at the genius of this work. Book three of The Aspect-Emperor trilogy, The Unholy Consult, should be out this year. If you haven't read Bakker you are doing yourself a disservice.

The Darkness That Comes Before

[Brielle]

Rob wrote: "Finished listening to The Drawing of the Three (Review here).

I will be continuing my audio re-read tomorrow with The Waste Lands"

I don't want to steer you wrong but I feel like the series really falls off at the next book. I loved the Gunslinger and then it just gets progressively worse. I've been stuck on Wastelands for 2 months.

[James]

just finished Old Man's War so I started listening to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and began reading Warm Bodies (not my typical book but the permise got me)

[Rob, Roberator]

Brielle wrote: "I don't want to steer you wrong but I feel like the series really falls off at the next book. I loved the Gunslinger and then it just gets progressively worse. I've been stuck on Wastelands for 2 months. "

I've probably read The Waste Lands at least 5 times already. I've read Wizard and Glass more times than I can count. I love both of those books. I think they are the best ones in the series.

I'm doing an audio "re-read" since a friend of mine is doing it for the first time and it's been so long that most of the details have escaped me, making discussion all but impossible.

Needless to say Dark Tower is one of absolute favorite series. Maybe because it was the first big "adult" series I've ever read. I'm not really sure. So far on my re-read, I'm not finding myself disappointed.

[Brielle]

Rob wrote: "Brielle wrote: "I don't want to steer you wrong but I feel like the series really falls off at the next book. I loved the Gunslinger and then it just gets progressively worse. I've been stuck on Wa..."

You know, I'm almost positive that a lot of it is because it's the audiobook version. The guy that does them really over accentuates everything to the point that it's irritating. It picks up once they get to the town full of old people. I've been stuck at the part before they enter the next town though, for a while.

[Brielle]

Oh my gosh. I started reading this book Reign: Genesis that was recommended in a different group, and it is fantastic. I'm only about halfway through and so much has happened so far. The word economy in the details is like it's a book written for those who don't like some of the more irritating regularities of modern authors.

[Rob, Roberator]

Brielle wrote: "You know, I'm almost positive that a lot of it is because it's the audiobook version. The guy that does them really over accentuates everything to the point that it's irritating."

This is my first time doing the audiobooks. I find it convient for a re-read since I know what's going to happen (mostly) and I'm not in a hurry to finish.

I haven't found them too bad so far. I think I like the new reader (he reads books 5-7, and the revised version of book 1) better, but I haven't had an issue with either.

[Hershel]

I finished the The Iliad went through the other books in the OMW series and am about 60% through Zoe's Tale Afterwards I'm probably going to finish my reading of Beyond Good and Evil and then probably move on to The Fault in Our Stars, Tarzan of the Apes,The Magicians, and the first Kyle Chan Trilogy.

[Igor]

Wool 4 as a part of Wool Omnibus and it's so good that pretty much all of my free time goes to reading this series. Highly recommended!

[Rob, Roberator]

Just started Ubik

[Joseph]

Finished The Children of Húrin and am moving on to Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth (although I'll probably skip over the section about Túrin since that's basically what I just read).

[Brielle]

Rob wrote: "Brielle wrote: "You know, I'm almost positive that a lot of it is because it's the audiobook version. The guy that does them really over accentuates everything to the point that it's irritating."

..."

Too me, he sounds like the guy with the really exaggerated voice that does movie trailers. It's just too much.

[Brielle]

So I'm a couple chapters farther into . It's so good. The writing style is different than what I'm used to, but in a really good way. It's easy to follow but loaded with plot. Just a page turner gem so far.

[Lamora]

I'll be reading Snow Crash and Equal Rites starting today and I might even tackle Perdido Street Station.
Last year I picked some horrible books (I blame my horrible friends), but one good choice was Miéville's The City & the City so I'm very excited to start reading another of his marvels.

[Emy]

Various bits of PNR and UF but starting Cold Days today now the husband has finished it (since it was his Christmas present from me I couldn't really nick it! ;))

[Joshua]

For the laser side of my brain, I've finished the first 3 books of the Old Man's War series, so I'll take on Zoe's Tale and the Sagan Diary before I move on to The Human Division.
For my sword side, I've just finished A Memory of Light (what a week!), The Way of Shadows and Prince of Thorns. I'll next move on to Crippled God and King of Thorns.
And then I'll try to finish Counter-Clock World and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. This is a crazy month.

[Pedro]

Finished The Damnation Game and wow, I hadn't read something this bad in a long time. It couldn't scare me so it tried to gross me out, and when that failed it just bored me - with remarkable success. You can read my full review here.

I'll be reading The Ghost Brigades as I really enjoyed Old Man's War and truly need something good to read so I can forget The Damnation Game ever existed.

[Jordy]

Wool Omnibus

Great North Road

A Fire Upon the Deep

Lonesome Dove

[David Sven]

Really enjoying Hugh Howey's Wool. The individual books are great for lunch time reading. My thoughts after the first instalment of the omnibus also titled Wool

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Procrastinador]

I've finished The Spartacus War and now I'm going to continue in "History mode" by reading The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo in eboook but also Lord of Light to keep up with the genre.

André

[Carolina]

Titta wrote: "Carolina wrote: "Titta wrote: "I'm starting this year with 1Q84: Books 1 and 2 and Cloud Atlas. I'm really liking them both. :)"

I loved both those books, although they all require a bit of patien..."

I hope you will like the third part of 1Q84 too.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

NMC wrote: "Finished up with Alif the Unseen. One of the more unique science fantasies I've read. I'm trying to switch between sf/fantasy and general fiction, so now it's time for The Secret Life of Bees, a no..."
I love both of those books! I saw Sue Monk Kidd speak once, great moment.

[David Sven]

Finished the Audible version of Fool Moon
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Starting the Audible version of The Name of the Wind The Kingkiller Chronicle 1 which I have been looking forward to forever.

[Tom]

David Sven wrote: "Finished the Audible version of Fool Moon
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Starting the Audible version of The Name of the Wind The Kingkiller Chronicle 1 which I have bee..."

I liked The Name of the Wind, but it is long and doesn't have much closure. It is obviously just setting you up for The Wise Man's Fear, which was good too, but again, long with no closure setting you up for The Doors of Stone.

I really hate this trend in writing where the books are not books, but rather chapters in a long, long story. I call this the Game of Thrones syndrome. Some people love it. I hate it.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Tom wrote: "I really hate this trend in writing where the books are not books, but rather chapters in a long, long story. I call this the Game of Thrones syndrome. Some people love it. I hate it. ..."
If I know there will only be a trilogy, I can manage to deal, but in the instance of anything longer, no thanks. I don't like nothing to happen until the cliffhanging last chapter. Wheel of Time was the worst at this....

[Igor]

As I finished Wool Omnibus and was trully amazed how Hugh wrapped it up, I continued with Wool 6, First Shift - Legacy.

[Tamahome]

Reading Niven's A World Out of Time on kindle app. Tempted to do the whispersync for audio. Kind of like Old Man's War in that someone gets a new body, but he's not a soldier.

[Joseph]

Tamahome wrote: "Reading Niven's A World Out of Time on kindle app. Tempted to do the whispersync for audio. Kind of like Old Man's War in that someone gets a new body, but he's not a soldier."

That was one of my favorites back in the day just because of the solar system-scale reengineering that took place.

[Tamahome]

I'm a sucker for body swapping and space. All it needs is chicks that kick ass.

[Joseph]

Tamahome wrote: "I'm a sucker for body swapping and space. All it needs is chicks that kick ass."

Sadly, as I recall that's not something you find in a lot of 1970's Niven.

[Sandi]

I finished Beggars in Spain and The Twelve Tribes of Hattie ebooks. One is SF, the other lit-fic. I liked them both very much.

In audio, I've recently finished Days of Blood & Starlight and When Gravity Fails. Those two were a bit problematic.

I'm currently reading Flood and John Dies at the End. I had started re-reading Old Man's War and decided that I didn't want to go back there. I liked it once, but it's not the kind of book I want to re-read.

Today, I went through an reviewed all the books I've finished this year. My goal for 2013 is to actually write a review for every book I read.

[Pedro]

Just finished The Ghost Brigades and wow, I'm speechless. As much as I enjoyed Old Man's War I didn't think the sequel would be this much better in every sense. I'm generally very reticent about giving 5 stars to a book but this time there really wasn't much thinking about it. Can't wait to pick up the third! Feel free to read my full review here.

I'll be reading Sharp Objects next. I really need to start trimming down my horror to read list.

[David Sven]

Finsihed Esslemont's Blood and Bone Malazan Empire 5
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Starting Brent Week's The Way of Shadows

[Carolina]

Pedro wrote: "Just finished The Ghost Brigades and wow, I'm speechless. As much as I enjoyed Old Man's War I didn't think the sequel would be this much better in every sense. I'm generally very reticent about gi..."

Oh I was wondering if I should continue with the series right away or not, and your review is convincing me to do so.

I haven't gotten around to read the Sharp Objects, but I hear is very good

[Jeff]

The WoT audiobook fest continues w/ The Great Hunt as does the Star Wars fest w/ Jedi Search

[Tom, Supreme Laser]

I'm reading Red Country and Ghost Brigades but I should be getting going on Bridge of Birds now, (since we record ahead) but I'm loving the On my way! Universe too much!

[terpkristin]

Still listening to We Can Build You. I'm not sure the book is for me. First off, it's a lot of "talk-y" and not a lot of "do-y." There's a lot of cerebral stuff, which ends up requiring a lot of focus. Also, the narrator is great with the male voices but his female voice is creepy. More so in the "seduction" scene I'm currently on.

Also reading Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut. It's cute, light, and fluffy.

[Rob, Roberator]

Finished Ubik (my review). Descent, but nothing fantastic.

Back to Gardens of the Moon for another 4 chapters before jumping into the February club pick.

[Davey]

Just finished Ack-Ack Macaque by Gareth L. Powell. Absolutely fantastic! The title character is a one-eyed, cigar chomping, foul-mouthed, heavily drinking Spitfire pilot monkey. Need I say more? The ending is a little politically convenient but otherwise absolutely brilliant!

Moving on to On Beauty - not sci-fi/fantasy but I need a bit of a comedown after Ack-Ack Macaque!

[Tamahome]

Only 130 pages left to go in the Peter F. Hamilton. *pant* *pant*

[David(LA,CA)]

Finished up with Wild Cards, and will eventually get around to the next one in the series.

Going to sneak in The Con Job before starting the Feb book pick.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Started and ARC of The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord, and I'm really enjoying it so far. It is nothing like her first novel, this is pure science fiction.

[Camilla]

Finished Water-Seer and trying to find extra money this month to buy the last in the trilogy - Child of Lightning (Have to spend money on books for the next semester at university...)

Almost finished with The Drowning City and right after I'll start The Bone Palace.

Finally got started on Reaper's Gale with about 2 weeks delay after finishing up The Bonehunters.

[Matthew]

I just finished 14 and now I am reading A Memory of Light.

[Pedro]

Carolina wrote: "Pedro wrote: "Just finished The Ghost Brigades and wow, I'm speechless. As much as I enjoyed Old Man's War I didn't think the sequel would be this much better in every sense. I'm generally very ret..."

I really can't recommend The Ghost Brigades enough. The first one was great, but The Ghost Brigades was exactly what I wanted from the sequel and more. I have the S&L bookclub to thank for introducing me to the series!

Sharp Objects is interesting thus far. Not too much has happened yet (about 100 pages in), but I really like how it's setting up. Hopefully I'll manage to find some free time tomorrow to finish it.

[Mike]

Started reading The Maze Runner today.
Also listening to A Storm of Swords on audible.

[kvon]

Finished Wonders of the Invisible World which are short stories by Patricia McKillip. But I like her novels better.

Also read book 3 of Borderlands, Shadows Past, which was okay fantasy.

I picked up Count to a Trillion for another book club.

[Carter]

So far this month, in addition to OMW, I have knocked out The Hobbit (little behind I know, but I moved in December!), Dies the Fire, The Protector's War, Storm Front (OMG, I love Butcher. Just now reading any of his stuff and I am hooked already!).

I am about to start The Name of the Wind and am super excited. Also, I am in the process of (slowly) rereading the WoT to get caught up, so at some point I will finish The Great Hunt.