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What Else Are You Reading?
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What Else Are You Reading - February 2014
This group is just brimming with SFF Audio folk. Or it's just gotten that big now, maybe...Anyway, I just finished The Human Division which was interesting. I read it like an anthology and tried to ignore the overall plot which was kinda meh.
I'm also about to finish a book I got for free on the kindle, Connected which isn't all that bad, actually.
Next up I think will be January's pick, The Einstein Intersection and Parable of the Sower
I finished the Winter's Tale audiobook on Thursday. On Friday, I listened to Glamour in Glass because I needed something lighter. I really liked it. Today, I started listening to Redemption Ark.Still working on A Wizard of Earthsea and Far North in ebook. And, I've started Prince of Thorns--an actual hardback book from the library.
I finished the (2nd version of the) audiobook of A Wizard of Earthsea today while drinking my morning coffee (my review). While running around today, I started listening to A New Beginning for SFF Audio. It's a little meta (for me) so far. One of the main characters is named Kristin (the same way I spell my own name), she is a space ship system analyst (I'm a spacecraft systems engineer--though our jobs sound like they would be similar, at the highest level...), and the description of her reminds me a lot of myself before I became irreparably broken. It's really weird/trippy. :D
Finished Genghis Birth of an Empire My review
Continuing on with the series with Genghis Lords of the Bow
I read the Kindle version of Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1: Unmanned yesterday. My review is here. Has anyone read the entire thing? Worth it?Today I'll start it on Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer.
Is that your first Vandermeer? Ever read the fungal stuff?
Tamahome wrote: "Is that your first Vandermeer? Ever read the fungal stuff?"I own a few I've never read like City of Saints and Madmen but I've only read the short stories, The Third Bear. They were memorable!
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Has anyone read the entire thing? Worth it?"I read the whole series several years ago and would probably give the whole series a 4 star rating. I don't ever remember being blown away by the artwork. I think it was the fourth collection that really kicked it in gear for me.
Spend the weekend visiting family, so lots of time for reading. Finished The Soldier King, read The Storm Witch and started Path of the Sun, all by Violette Malan.
Been stuck over the last month of things I want to read. Thought a trip back to some urban fantasy w/ Moon Called would snap me out of it but it did not. Gonna try something different w/ Gone Girl on audiobook and maybe finish of The Sandman comic book series I bought over the holidays. Either that or a Star Wars book.
Having finished the A Wizard of EarthSea I've picked up the Silmarillion. I've decided to re-read the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in between S&L book club picks but I wanted to the history background for this time around the series.
Finished A Wizard of Earthsea which was a big disappointment so now working on the The Deep Blue Good-By for my Pulp Fiction group.
Finished A Wizard of Earthsea and have now started Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle for the Horror Aficionados group.
I finished Far North. It's on of the best literary post-apocalyptic novels I've read. I'm really enjoying Redemption Ark, but am kind of wishing I hadn't purchased all these Alastair Reynolds books in audio. I think I'd be having a much easier time with text.
Just finished Dirty Magic. Going to start Arena Mode tonight. And I really need to get back to listening to Earthsea, or I end up stalling out on in accidentally.
Wrapped Forever War and am now splitting time between Cherie Priest's The Inexplicables, L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s The Magic of Recluce, and for a change of pace, Boozehound: On the Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the Overrated in Spirits
Finished Earthsea, it took me so long to read for such a short book. I just don't think her writing style is for me. I decided now would be a good time to finally pick up Magician: Apprentice. I'm about four chapters in and I find myself enjoying it.
Matthew wrote: "Listening to A Feast for Crows not a huge fan of the narration."What version do you have? Roy Dotrice or John Lee? I remember trying to listen to the John Lee version many years ago but ended up reading the book instead.
Jenny wrote: "Early this morning I started Shift Omnibus Edition (Silo, #2). I'm so excited to be reading more of this series! I'm also listening to Prince Caspian on audio."I am surprised by how different Prince Caspian the book is from the movie myself. I hope that is not a spoiler.
Finished Path of the Sun and decided to revisit a classic -- King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard.
Oooh I really want to join that group! Sign me up!
David Sven wrote: "Oooh I really want to join that group! Sign me up!"I don't know, David. Their membership guidelines are pretty stringent.
Ctgt wrote: "David Sven wrote: "Oooh I really want to join that group! Sign me up!"I don't know, David. Their membership guidelines are pretty stringent."
I can beg
Jeff wrote: "Been stuck over the last month of things I want to read."I know this feeling all too well. It's been me all this year, which is kinda odd. Even when I've had books I've been digging, it's just not working right now.
It's been the same way with video games for me this year. Very listless.
Punched out a couple shorts from AudibleThe Jester was free review
and
From Alastair Reynolds Beyond the Aquila Rift which was not free and probably dearer than the length warranted - but hey, it's Reynolds review
I finished listening to Revelation Space today. I was very happy it did not end in a cliffhanger. I know there's one more book in the series, but this felt finished.I started listening to The Scar today. I think it's my third try at it and it's finally clicking.
I finished reading the ebook of A Wizard of Earthsea at lunchtime. If I had read it as a kid, I probably would have been more of a sword than a laser. It didn't do as much for me now as it would have then.
Sandi wrote: "I finished listening to Revelation Space today. I was very happy it did not end in a cliffhanger."It's actually a trilogy - but the next book doesn't end on a cliffhanger either. If you continue with the series I would recommend reading Chasm City first. It's a standalone in the same universe but it was written before the second book in the trilogy - which features some cameo appearances you would only appreciate if you'd read Chasm City first.
Thanks for the advice, David. I have both Absolution Gap and Chasm City in audio. (Tantor had a bunch of Alastair Reynolds titles on sale for $6.99 last year.) I have to listen to a few books in between because I have a really hard time listening to John Lee's narrations.
Sandi wrote: " I have both Absolution Gap and Chasm City in audio."I just noticed Audible places Chasm City second in the Rev Space series anyway - before Redemption Ark which goodreads puts as book 2. I'd go with the Audible order.
David Sven wrote: "Ctgt wrote: "David Sven wrote: "Oooh I really want to join that group! Sign me up!"I don't know, David. Their membership guidelines are pretty stringent."
I can beg
"
Oh, I think you are worthy, David.
terpkristin wrote: "Jeff wrote: "Been stuck over the last month of things I want to read."I know this feeling all too well. It's been me all this year, which is kinda odd. Even when I've had books I've been digging,..."
I think with you two you might just have to trudge through a book or in one's case a video game as well to break through the rut. Can be difficult at first but gets easier I have seen when I get into those type of ruts.
Interesting about the order about the Revelation Space series. I went by the GoodReads order because it's easier to look up on my phone. I am fairly certain Chasm City is a standalone in the same setting, like The Prefect. I wil be listening to it next though just because the place is mentioned in all the novels.Where does The Prefect come in? It takes place in the Glitterband, but in the timeline of Redemption Ark, the Glitterband has become the Rustband. However, some of the people, tech, & historical events seem to be from the Revelation Space series.
Finally finished Judas Unchained. I'm so glad it's over! My review. Moving on to Heroes Die with my side reads group.
I finished A Wizard of Earthsea and I liked it. I've also finished The Goldfinch (loved it!) and Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing Our Minds for the Better (liked it) in audio. Finished Insurgent (liked it) and The Cricket on the Heart (free from Audible, should've listened to it during Christmas I think). Right now I am listening to The Handmaid's Tale and reading Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch which I got thinking to start with Neil Gaiman with it, and then realized that it was written with Terri Pratcher, another author I've never read. What do you guys think of this book? Is it more representative of Gaiman or Pratcher? I'm really enjoying it but I would like to know whose stamp is "bigger" for future reference.
Sandi wrote: "Where does The Prefect come in? It takes place in the Glitterband, but in the timeline of Redemption Ark, the Glitterband has become the Rustband."The Prefect takes place way before the main series - Before the melding plague. The story there is unrelated to the main series apart from being set in the same Universe - so not really even a prequel. It's a true standalone, but probably better appreciated after the main series I think. Chasm City is also a standalone and happens when the Melding Plague has just hit - but a couple of the characters show up later in Redemption Ark. Chasm City is a good choice for reading second I've found.
I read The Prefect first. Then, House of Suns and Blue Remembered Earth (unrelated). I've read Revelation Space and Redemption Ark. So, it's too late to read Chasm City second. ;-)
I don't feel like reading, or rather not read any of the books that I'm currently reading. I hope this is just temporary and goes away when I can get those book that I really want to read. I want to read thrillers and science fiction and all I have at the moment is half-assed urban fantasy.
Sandi wrote: "I read The Prefect first. Then, House of Suns and Blue Remembered Earth (unrelated). I've read Revelation Space and Redemption Ark. So, it's too late to read Chasm City second. ;-)"Oh sorry. I thought you were a Reynolds newb :)
Read The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor, it was okay, but a little slow. Now I'm working on Andromeda's Fall, which is pretty good.
Yep I read The Prefect first too. It's still my favorite, but I haven't read all the Reynolds.
Carolina wrote: reading Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch which I got thinking to start with Neil Gaiman with it, and then realized that it was written with Terri Pratcher, another author I've never read. What do you guys think of this book? Is it more representative of Gaiman or Pratcher? I'm really enjoying it but I would like to know whose stamp is "bigger" for future reference. I would say it's more of a Terry Pratchett novel than a Neil Gaiman novel, IMO.
Carolina wrote: "I finished A Wizard of Earthsea and I liked it. I've also finished The Goldfinch (loved it!) and [book:Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing Our Minds for ..."I would also say Good Omens feels more Pratchett. But to be fair I've not read anything by him yet except for that book. (I really should get on that, I'm starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by my to-read list). But I am pretty familiar with Gaiman and it didn't feel like a lot of his other works. I did really like the book though.
Carolina wrote: "I finished A Wizard of Earthsea and I liked it. I've also finished The Goldfinch (loved it!) and [book:Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing Our Minds for ..."If I am thinking right I would say Prachett since he has already taken steps to insure that his Discworld series continues after he has passed away. Plus it is already a huge series. I don't see Gaiman having a series really outside of graphic novels. Not to mention Prachett has done multiple movies on his series.
Viola wrote: "I don't feel like reading, or rather not read any of the books that I'm currently reading. I hope this is just temporary and goes away when I can get those book that I really want to read. I want t..."What would those half-assed Urban Fantasies be?
Finished The Scorpion Game after overriding a Lem-point. My review.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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The Sword and Laser
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Tomorrow I'll be starting Geomancer for SFF Audio