The last book I read was... Showing 751-800 of 2,075

[Paul, A wanderer in unknown realms]

Signed absolutely

[Kirsty, Jedi Master]

IM IN!!

Signed.

[Dawn]

Yes, I'll watch that thread :-)

[Lel]

Signed!

[Ryan]

I hereby sign.

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

Rinn wrote: "PETITION FOR LANCER TO START AN OFFICIAL 'SIR LANCER RECOMMENDS' THREAD:


Please sign names below :D"

I sign

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

I just finished The Fault in Our Stars. It is not sci fi or fantasy. I stray once in a while. Please forgive me.

[Greg]

lol Audrey, I stray all the time! :)

[Vinca]

Rinn wrote: "PETITION FOR LANCER TO START AN OFFICIAL 'SIR LANCER RECOMMENDS' THREAD:

- Rinn
- Shawnie
- Paul
- Kirsty
- Dawn
- Lel
- Ryan
- Audrey

Please sign names below :D"

I'm in too!

[Cupcakes & Machetes, Hybrid Creature]

How could I not sign??!

[Lancer, Warden of the Slums]

I suppose I will have to do this now lol

[Gary]

Last night I finished Fun Star Trek references in the final quarter of the book.

[Paul, A wanderer in unknown realms]

I predict Lancer will be the most powerful man in genre fiction

[Dawn]

Lancer wrote: I suppose I will have to do this now lol
Yes, I think you have been well and truly volunteered lol

[Milou]

This was the month for re-reads for me.

First of all, I read Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. All I remembered from the books was that they were damn weird. But I had forgotten that they were Soooo funny and witty. Really happy I picked these up again.

I also picked up The Opal Deception, because Artemis Fowl may be my ultime favourite series (yes, I like it even more than Harry Potter), and I am trying to reread the whole series this year. For those of you who don't know it, Artemis Fowl is a 11 year old boy, whose father is gone missing and his mother is insane, so he is using all that freedom and has become a criminal mastermind. In the first book he kidnaps Holly Short, an agent at the elFBI (yes, elves, and not your Lord of the Rings ones, high tech elves). This is basically Oceans 11, but good to understand, with elves.

Next, The Colour of Magic, I am busy collecting all the beautiful hardback editions and so rereading the books as I go along. Again, Loved it (it's Pratchett, duhhh). You can really see a big difference between these earlier works and his later ones. For example, all the woman in here are naked....
I picked up Soul Music last night. I last read this for school (6-7 years ago), know I really liked it but I also know I missed a lot of jokes and references...

And lastly, I re-read The Clockwork Scarab. Unlike the previous books, which I read years and years and years ago, I read this only last year. But this book just ticks all the boxes for me. It is set in a steampunk version (yes please) of 1889 London (:D :D), where Mina Holmes, the niece of Sherlock (hell yeah!) and Evaline Stoker, Bram's sister (OMG) are asked by Irene Adler to serve the crown and solve the murder mystery (just take my money) of a high society girl. Oh, and there is some time travel (just ... :D :D :D :D :D). It's fun, it's fast paced.

[Gary]

Milou wrote: "This was the month for re-reads for me.

First of all, I read Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. All I remembered from the book..."

If you haven't read it yet, you might like Emma Jane Holloway's The Baskerville Affair trilogy. There is an Ebook version with the three additional short stories the take place one before each of the novels. Evelina Cooper, the niece of Sherlock Holmes gets involved with murder, a sorcerer, automatons, and other fun stuff. A top notch series that I highly recommend.

[Kirsty, Jedi Master]

Just finished Armada... oh man! I LOVED IT.

[Paul, A wanderer in unknown realms]

I'll have to try it soon Kirsty.
I recently finished Saints Blood by Sebastian De Castell. Third in his Greatcoat series and stunning stuff.
Second best thing to com out of Canada after Sir Lancer

[Veronica]

I read both A Darker Shade of Magic and our BoTM, A Gathering of Shadows, neither of which really floated my boat. Since then I've dived back into a few historical mysteries which are comfort reads to me: Brighton Belle, Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman, A Sudden, Fearful Death.

[Kevin]

I have been positively snowed under for the last few weeks so my reading habits have been lack lustre, and will remain disappoining for at least another month. :(

I did however get around to finishing Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy by reading The Hero of Ages and it was a truly spectacular finish. Given that this series continues beyond this book I had expected it to end somewhat unfinished, however, he expertly ties up countless loose ends. I'm not sure what category to put Sanderson in other than maybe a writing beast.
Also, I may be going soft or perhaps my mental fortitude is weakened by hours spent in the library, but I was very moved by the ending, to the point where salt water ran down my face for a little bit.

Now, I have started into Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian and am thirty pages in. I'm likely hooked. Her writing is marvelous, especially so considering this is a debut novel. I know that Paul is a fan. Hopefully nightmares of vampires will overshadow my night terrors about Irish linguistics. o.O

[Milou]

@Gary, thank you, that sounds great. Will certainly give it a try (when I find the time)

[Kirsty, Jedi Master]

Paul wrote: "I'll have to try it soon Kirsty.
I recently finished Saints Blood by Sebastian De Castell. Third in his Greatcoat series and stunning stuff.
Second best thing to com out of Canada after Sir Lancer"

do ittttttttttttttttt

[Lancer, Warden of the Slums]

I read the First by Sebastian de Castell and really liked it, haven't found any paperback version for 2 or 3 yet and can't afford the hard cover. Big used book sale tomorrow so who knows what I'll find. :)

[Kirsty, Jedi Master]

sir Lancer wrote: "I read the First by Sebastian de Castell and really liked it, haven't found any paperback version for 2 or 3 yet and can't afford the hard cover. Big used book sale tomorrow so who knows what I'll ..."

Looking forward to a list of your haul!

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

Methuen wrote: "The last thing I finished was The Prisoner of Azkaban (first time through the Harry Potter series) - thoroughly enjoyed it ! I'm on the next one to that, and am also enjoying it. Took me long enoug..."

I think that's my favorite of the series. I'm still a bit surprised at how popular it is. It's so "British." It reminded me of Roald Dahl and the movie "Labyrinth" at first, and cockroach clusters are from Monty Python.

[Greg]

Finished A Gathering of Shadows and now halfway through Station Eleven.

Station Eleven is fantastic so far IMO - quite a lot of character depth despite the interweaving of several characters' different stories. I love the fictional comic with Dr. Eleven as well, the ways the various fictional and "real" stories reflect on each other.

One downside ... I feel afraid about where this is going as I've grown quite attached to several of the characters, but this book is on the way to a high rating if it doesn't fall apart - 4 stars at least.

[Margo]

Station eleven was a 5* read for me - loved it ;-)

[Greg]

Margo wrote: "Station eleven was a 5* read for me - loved it ;-)"

Might well end up 5 * for me too Margo! :)

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Greg, I don't know if you noticed but Station Eleven was a previous BotM for the group, so feel free to join in the chat for it!

[Greg]

Rinn wrote: "Greg, I don't know if you noticed but Station Eelven was a previous BotM for the group, so feel free to join in the chat for it!"

Thanks Rinn! I hadn't noticed - I'll check out the thread when I get a chance.

[Gary]

Just finished another mystery, but there is hope as I am clearing off a short work by Harry Turtledove.


Finished reading

[Lancer, Warden of the Slums]

Finished Half a War by Joe Abercrombie last night. I enjoyed it and the series but not as much as the First Law trilogy or stand alones. I have heard that the Shattered Sea trilogy is supposed to be YA but it is the most adult YA I have read.

Overall another strong outing by Abercrombie and I will eagerly await what he releases next. One of my top 3 authors for sure,

[Paul, A wanderer in unknown realms]

Its not typical YA in many ways , the romance side being a nod I suppose

[Gary]

Finished last night. Now trying to see what book says read me now next.
.

[Lancer, Warden of the Slums]

Paul did you find the romance side being a little awkward and possibly not that necessary. Seemed like a lot of it was tacked on. I enjoyed the Koll/Rin one but the Raith/Skara seemed pointless

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

sir Lancer wrote: "Paul did you find the romance side being a little awkward and possibly not that necessary. Seemed like a lot of it was tacked on. I enjoyed the Koll/Rin one but the Raith/Skara seemed pointless"

There's a Rin? :o

[Paul, A wanderer in unknown realms]

I found it very clunky Lancer, not natural at all. Story didn't need it to work and it grated on me. The rest of the trilogy was great though.

[Lancer, Warden of the Slums]

Agreed, like you said that may have to do with the YA aspect. It would not surprise me for a publisher to get a draft and say "nope needs a romance" and then have to add those parts in.

[Gary]

sir Lancer wrote: "Agreed, like you said that may have to do with the YA aspect. It would not surprise me for a publisher to get a draft and say "nope needs a romance" and then have to add those parts in."

Especially if it is a YA aimed more towards girls than boys. I am not naïve enough to think even in 2016 that doesn't happen.

[Ryan]

And you just know the protagonist will have two dudes fighting over her, and it'll be at least as important as saving civilisation.

[Gary]

A common complaint in cozy mysteries are the romantic triangle and the cop boyfriend. All genres have their tropes. "I'll take whacky wizards for $100 Alex"

[Lancer, Warden of the Slums]

What annoys me is female characters that are "the most beautiful woman he ever laid eyes on" type. Give me a smart, funny girl anyday over that one.

[Lancer, Warden of the Slums]

Somewhat related, it always bothers me when people oogle and fuss over "beautiful" celebrities when they have less sure stance than my morning dump

[Lancer, Warden of the Slums]

Substance that is. Damn you autocorrect

[Kevin]

sir Lancer wrote: "What annoys me is female characters that are "the most beautiful woman he ever laid eyes on" type. Give me a smart, funny girl anyday over that one."

I'm inclined to agree. It's massively off-putting when a book's female characters are two dimensional barbies. It even makes me strongly dislike the author, though it is probably/hopefully just that they lack the skill to create strong female characters. Happy to see the likes of Uprooted, A Darker Shade of Magicetc. breaking that trope.

[Lancer, Warden of the Slums]

I though Monza Murcatto from Abercrombie's Best Served Cold was a much better female lead. Even Thorn Bathu from Half the World (smaller role in Half a War) was better but even that seemed to have an awkward relationship with Brand. It was a lot better than Raith and Rin tho.

[Sparrow Knight]

Kevin wrote: "sir Lancer wrote: "What annoys me is female characters that are "the most beautiful woman he ever laid eyes on" type. Give me a smart, funny girl anyday over that one."

I'm inclined to agree. It's..."

As a woman, I'm glad to hear this crosses the gender line. Any book w/a gorgeously handsome, tall, broad-chested male w/beautiful eyes love interest almost automatically loses 1 star in my book. 2 if he has long, flowing locks. Gag me!

Give me lame, halt, balding and clever, thoughtful, & congenial any day.

And totally agree...the proliferation of tacked on 'love scenes' is getting really irritating.

[Gary]

Sparrow Knight wrote: "Kevin wrote: "sir Lancer wrote: "What annoys me is female characters that are "the most beautiful woman he ever laid eyes on" type. Give me a smart, funny girl anyday over that one."

I'm inclined ..."
You beat me to it and I'm male. The gogeous hunky guy thing does get as old as the barbie blonde.

[Vinca]

I finished The Cathedral of Known Things by Edward Cox last night. It's the second book in the Relic Guild series and I enjoyed it even more than the first book. He uses such poetic names for the various worlds (Houses) that he visits that I immediately want to know more about them - Ghost Mist Veldt, Face of Grace and Truth, Library of Glass and Mirrors. They all sound wonderful. If I could go on a road trip through a fantasy world this place would be high on my list of choices!

[Paul, A wanderer in unknown realms]

Still have to read the Relic Guild.I git a copy when it was released so really should have gotten to it by now.