What Else Are You Reading? August 2013

[Stefanie]

I'm currently reading The Curse of Chalion for the monthly bookpick, Metatropolis, since I got the audio book for free, A Dance With Dragons when I can bring myself to it (hit me, I'm just really bored with it rn). I recently finished MetaGame, too, and was super unimpressed.

[Carolina]

Will wrote: "I want to finish The Cuckoo's Calling, start on The Age of Ice, and read Dust when it's released."

How was it? I'm wondering if I should get it or not.Don't want to buy just because of the buzz :/

[David Sven]

Finished Alistair Reynold's Absolution Gap
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Continuing in the Revelation Space Universe with the short story Diamond Dogs

[David Sven]

Stefanie wrote: "Metatropolis, since I got the audio book for free,"

Me too. It was the only freebie they were offering that sounded promising. I've only listened to the first story before putting it back on the TBR. Maybe one of the other authors' stories and style will appeal to me more.

[Jenny]

I started Redshirts last night & it was definitely the right pick! Loving it so far.

[Joseph]

Finished The Company Man, which was really quite good, and started Matthias Thulmann: Witch Hunter by C.L. Werner.

[Nancy]

Working on Without a Summer by Mary Robinette Kowal which is so far the best book in the Glamorist History series, as well as the best made audiobook.

For regular books, I'm reading Doll Bones by Holly Black, which is a pretty good kid book.

[Jacob]

Right now I am reading The Strain. I'm enjoying it so far and hopefully it continues to interest me.

[Matt]

I just finished Gardens of the moon by Stephen Erikson and I really loved it. Can't wait to start the next one in the series.... I've been reading a lot of YA SyFy lately...so it was nice to reading something with a little more to it....

[Rob, Roberator]

Matt wrote: "I just finished Gardens of the moon by Stephen Erikson and I really loved it. Can't wait to start the next one in the series.... I've been reading a lot of YA SyFy lately...so it was nice to readin..."

If you plan to continue, you might be interested in the Malzan group on good reads: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/8...

[Tamahome]

Zipping through one of Gary Gibson's easy space opera reissues.

Stealing Light

[terpkristin]

While cooking dinner tonight, I started listening to Carniepunk. The first story was a bit creepy. I can tell I shouldn't listen to this too close to bed.

Still...still reading my friend's book. I also loaded The Curse of Chalion to my iPhone, so I'll re-listen to that when I have time. Possibly closer to bedtime. ;)

[Rob, Roberator]

I finished The Curse of Chalion, and rather enjoyed it (My Review).

I *may* try to squeeze in The Emperor's Soul this week, otherwise it's going to be a light reading week for me, with just some chapters from The Bonehunters for a group read.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

In print I'm reading The Shadow of the Wind, which I'm loving. In audio I'm listening to The Humans, which seems promising.

And Infinite Jest. Still. I'm aiming for page 700 by the end of the day.

[Dara]

Started Last Argument of Kings. Now that I'm finally really into The First Law stuff, I don't want it to end.

[Rob, Roberator]

Dara wrote: "Started Last Argument of Kings. Now that I'm finally really into The First Law stuff, I don't want it to end."

Too soon!

[Dara]

Rob wrote: "Dara wrote: "Started Last Argument of Kings. Now that I'm finally really into The First Law stuff, I don't want it to end."

Too soon!"

Yeah, I'm early but I don't wanna wait!

[Rob, Roberator]

I've had my copy for weeks. I will start next week. On time.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Jenny wrote: "Jenny Colvin (readingenvy) | 1524 comments In print I'm reading The Shadow of the Wind, which I'm loving."

Ooooh, I loved that book. Very bookish book. :)

[David Sven]

Finished the Audible version of The Drowning Girl
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Starting the Audible version of Kevin J Anderson's Hidden Empire The Saga of Seven Suns 1

[CR]

Just finished Clovenhoofby Goody and Grant. Shockingly good, no pun intended by self published authors. Extremely funny.

[artofstu]

I'm about 80 percent through 14 by Peter Clines. So far I'm loving this book. I think it should definitely be a S&L pick.

[David Sven]

Finished Alastair Reynolds novella Diamond Dogs
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

On to another Reynolds Novella Turquoise Days

[Jeff]

Still chugging thru Children of the Jedi which is just painful as it is bad. But alas I continue my Star Wars journey. Also listening to The Curse of Chalion for the August pick.

[Dharmakirti]

Jenny wrote: "In print I'm reading The Shadow of the Wind, which I'm loving. In audio I'm listening to The Humans, which seems promising.

And Infinite Jest. Still. I'm aiming for page 700 by the end of the day."

I've lost count of the number of times I've tried to read that beast of a novel. I don't think I've ever read more than a couple hundred pages.

[Misti]

I'm reading Boneshaker, which I snagged in the last Humble Bundle book set. Been wanting to read it ever since Cherie Priest was a guest on S&L. Of course there have been so many authors who's books I want to read since they've been on the show, lol.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Dharmakirti wrote: "Jenny wrote: "In print I'm reading The Shadow of the Wind, which I'm loving. In audio I'm listening to The Humans, which seems promising.

And Infinite Jest. Still. I'm aiming for page 700 by the end of the day."

I've lost count of the number of times I've tried to read that beast of a novel. I don't think I've ever read more than a couple hundred pages. "

Honestly, I don't think I'd still be going without the huge group I'm reading along with. We have support calls and online discussions to get us through.

[kvon]

Currently reading Blessed and Cursed Alike (the protags are motorcycle couriers in an alt universe city), Palimpsest in dribs and drabs. Couldn't find my Redshirts so I started on Curse of Chalion reread last night.

[Hannah]

Just finished Tipping the Velvet for Vaginal Fantasy and now moved on to the second compendium for the Walking Dead, I needed a quick palate cleanser before clearing out my to read list.

[Sandi]

I'm listening to The Curse of Chalion and reading Vampires in the Lemon Grove: Stories and Salem's Lot. I never knew that the title of the last one was supposed to have an apostrophe at the beginning.

I'm also reading Indexing, the Kindle serial by Seanan McGuire. I'm really enjoying it, but it's driving me absolutely nuts that I finish an installment in an hour and have to wait two weeks to find out what happens next.

[France]

I'm currently finishing Among Others. By the time it came to my place through mail, it was already July so ... I'm reading it only now. I enjoy it so far.

I'm also halfway through Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close on e-book. This one is not SF&F. It's nice, and I like the writing very much. As soon as I'm done with it, I'll move to Assassins in Love by Kris DeLake for Vaginal Fantasy.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I finished The Iron Heel by Jack London, a dystopia but more about economics and socialism from the perspective of 1907 (we're discussing it on SFF Audio soon.)

I just started The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling for another book club. I've read a lot of William Gibson but no Sterling. Does anyone know this book?

[Katy]

France wrote: "I'm currently finishing Among Others. By the time it came to my place through mail, it was already July so ... I'm reading it only now. I enjoy it so far.

I'm also halfway through Girls in White D..."

I really liked Among Others. It was a great YA book. Have you read Akata Witch? This was also great. Also, Who Fears Death by the same author is fantastic.

[Tamahome]

Jenny wrote: "I finished The Iron Heel by Jack London, a dystopia but more about economics and socialism from the perspective of 1907 (we're discussing it on SFF Audio soon.)

I just started The Difference Engin..."

It's supposed to be classic steampunk, but seems boring.

[Sandi]

Jenny wrote: "I just started The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling for another book club. I've read a lot of William Gibson but no Sterling. Does anyone know this book?"

I read The Difference Engine about 20 years ago. I really liked it. It was a pretty big deal when it came out. My local paper had a big write-up about it. It wasn't a review. It was an article about the history and ideas in it. It's definitely science fiction, but set in an alternate past rather than the future. A lot of modern steampunk is all about the dirigibles and goggles, but The Difference Engine is a hard SF novel that looks at what might have happened if Charles Babbage's Difference Engine had been widely accepted.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Sandi wrote: "Jenny wrote: "I just started The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling for another book club. I've read a lot of William Gibson but no Sterling. Does anyone know this book?"

I rea..."

There's also an online dictionary to accompany... Good thing because there seem to be a lot of references to inventors and mathematicians.

And thank goodness it isn't just goggles!

[Sandi]

I don't remember a single pair of goggles in it. Of course, twenty years is a long time to remember something like that. I also can't remember if Lord Byron's daughter, Ada is in it. Historically, she was a close friend of Charles Babbage and was a brilliant mathematician in her own right.

[David Sven]

Finished the Reynolds novella Turquoise Days
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Will be knocking out the remainder of the Revelation Space short stories in Galactic North before moving onto the last book in the series The Prefect

[Dharmakirti]

Sandi wrote: "Jenny wrote: "I just started The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling for another book club. I've read a lot of William Gibson but no Sterling. Does anyone know this book?"

I rea..."

Sounds fascinating. I added it to my To Read list.

[[deleted user]]

Jenny wrote: "I finished The Iron Heel by Jack London, a dystopia but more about economics and socialism from the perspective of 1907 (we're discussing it on SFF Audio soon.)"

Jenny, thanks for mentioning this book. Sounds interesting and I'd never even knew it existed. Next on my toread list once I finish The Fox Woman and Other Stories

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

David wrote: "David | 64 comments Jenny wrote: "I finished The Iron Heel by Jack London, a dystopia but more about economics and socialism from the perspective of 1907 (we're discussing it on SFF Audio soon.)"

Jenny, thanks for mentioning this book. Sounds interesting and I'd never even knew it existed. Next on my toread list once I finish The Fox Woman and Other Stories "
I'll be interested in what you think. I find "novel" to be a stretch; it really seems more like a book about socialist economics. I'm not an economics expert, eep.

[[deleted user]]

I'm not an economist either but I enjoyed both A Dream of John Ball and News from Nowhere, Or, an Epoch of Rest: Being Some Chapters from a Utopian Romance by Morris. Both have a socialist economy.

One of my favorite books, Islandia, is a utopian romance.

London is such a good writer I expect to enjoy it, unless it becomes too polemic.

An aside. The early days of the industrial revolution saw lots of people trying new economic models and living arrangements. Not only in speculative fiction but also in real life. A fascinating book on the topic is Strange Cults & Utopias of Ninteenth Century America

[Jordy]

Halfway through 14 now. Its a nice fun, fast-paced change after finishing Bleak House earlier this month. I also hope to read either Dust or Abaddon's Gate.

[Bryan]

Reading The Black Company right now and feeling seriously underwhelmed by it. Everyone talks it up, so I feel like I should finish it, but quite honestly, it sucks. I read The Heroes right before going into this one, and that book was awesome, so maybe Cook is just suffering by comparison.

[David Sven]

Finished Alastair Reynolds Galactic North. A good one for Revelation Space fans.
My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Andi]

I'm almost finished reading Shift Omnibus Edition (Silo, #2) and will likely be starting Dust when it's released.

[David(LA,CA)]

Finished Bitter Seeds. Going to stick with Milkweed for the time being and head onto The Coldest War next.

[Jenny]

I chose Redshirts for my next Kindle read and I'm so glad I did! I'll have to check out the discussion episode and the boards. My Hounded e-loan came up so that's what I'm reading next.

[Rainer]

Angel and Buffy comic books :)

[Tamahome]

The Panopticon. Harsh and Scottish! I wonder how the audiobook is.