What Else Are You Reading - February 2014

[Jokoloyo]

At last weekend I read manga Gantz a SF/horror manga. This manga has strength in the art, but as the story, the plots are moving slowly.

And although this manga has many characters, mostly are flat. Too bad actually, because at first appearance, some of the minor characters seems promising. Maybe I am expecting too much after I have read the works of GRR Martin, Steven Erikson, or Joe Abercrombie.

[Keith]

Against my better judgment, I am going to try and finish the Wheel of Time series, so in I go to A Crown of Swords. I'm barely through the prologue and already I am reminded that Jordan's portrayals of women make me feel like a worse human being for even having read them. This is going to be a slog.

[Rick]

Finished The Lives of Tao. OK, but I can't see how Chu was surprised that Angry Robot wanted a sequel as the book naturally sets one up. It does achieve closure, but it doesn't resolve all possible scenarios. For me, a mid 3 star book. Nice, fun read, some good stuff and an interesting take on aliens who join with humans (the aliens can't leave until the human dies).

Downsides are that there's a few suspension of disbelief issues for me and it leans a bit too heavily on the 'aliens guiding human history and development' thing.

For the $2 it cost me on sale a bargain. At $8-10... perhaps not. But then I felt the same thing about Ready Player One... :)

[terpkristin]

I started listening to Alif the Unseen on Friday or so. I originally got the book as a daily deal of some sort, so have both Kindle and audio editions. I'm about halfway through now, and the fantastical elements are really starting to pick up. I'm enjoying it. I'll probably slip in another book or two (depending on length) once I finish this, before Words of Radiance becomes my life.

[Sandi]

I'm listening to Some Kind Of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce. I'm really liking it. I don't usually find John Lee difficult to listen to, but he does a good job with this one. I do think it may have benefited from either having a female narrator, two narrators, or a male narrator who can do a better job with female characters. I think my biggest peeve with John Lee is the way he reads women's parts.

[Tamahome]

Warlock by Jim Starlin: The Complete Collection. Perhaps he'll be in the next Avengers movie?

[Doc]

Gardens of the Moon
I'm really enjoying this book so far. I think this series will keep me occupied for the time being.

[Rob, Roberator]

Doc wrote: "Gardens of the Moon
I'm really enjoying this book so far. I think this series will keep me occupied for the time being."

You may find The Malazan Fallen useful/helpful in your reading.

[Christopher]

Currently I am reading both Happy Hour in Hell by Tad Williams and Insurgent by Veronica Roth which will probably carry over to next month. Oh and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft, 3rd Edition

[[deleted user]]

About to start Cleopatra by Haggard. I really enjoy his style, so I'm looking forward to an enjoyable read.

[Dara]

Doc wrote: "Gardens of the Moon
I'm really enjoying this book so far. I think this series will keep me occupied for the time being."

Best of luck to you!

[Ian]

Hi everyone

Have been AWOL from the site for a few months now, have been doing a mammoth reread of ASOIAF ahead of the new season - I actually enjoyed books 4 and 5 much more 2nd time around especially 4, although I can see very little of that material making its way into the TV show since most is superfluous.......

Currently rereading The Way of Kings ahead of book 2 next week

Have chewed through a fair few audiobooks in the past several months

Shift Omnibus Edition (Silo, #2)
and
Dust

This series is highly recommended, left a few loose ends but great characters that made me care about the outcome

The Coldest War
and
Necessary Evil
Again really liked the trilogy, book 3 was probably my favourite out of the 3

Blue Remembered Earth
and now part way through
On the Steel Breeze
Blue remembered earth started off really slowly for me, found it very hard to get into and it only really got me towards the end. Not sure its as good as his other books for me so far, but some interesting ideas in there. Bit OTT on the elephant obsession though. Am enjoying the 2nd one more

Also read Abaddon's Gate recently, I really liked the first 2 books in this series so this one was a massive disappointment. Most of it didnt really go anywhere, I wasnt really interested in the new characters, I had the first 2 books at 4 stars this would be more like a 2

Words of radiance here we come!

[Sandi]

I'm so jealous that you get to read On a Steel Breeze. It won't be out until August in the US.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Took advantage of the Audible BOGO credit sale and picked up Dust by Hugh Howey (although I need to read #2 first!) and The Martian by Andy Weir, so I started listening to that today.

I am STILL reading Her Smoke Rose Up Forever by James Tiptree Jr. It's taking forever in a really good way.

[Tamahome]

The Martian is really blowing up on the best seller lists.

http://www.locusmag.com/Monitor/2014/...

[Mark]

Because it's good!

[Tamahome]

Sounds like Robinson Crusoe on Mars.

[[deleted user]]

Whoa, The Martian sounds pretty epic. This is why I've come to love these particular threads in the space of a day . . . so many cool books floating around, lol.

I'm currently reading The High Druid's Blade by Terry Brooks, Intensity by Dean Koontz, and The Fell Sword by Miles Cameron.

[Christopher]

The Martian and The High Druid's Blade are going on my to read list

[Sandi]

I finished Some Kind Of Fairy Tale today. I gave it a solid 4 stars. For once, I wasn't totally annoyed by a narration by John Lee.

I found The Martian on Audible's Two for One Credit sale and got that and Warbound. I'm a couple of hours into The Martian and it's pretty good. Not very original, but entertaining. R.C. Bray's narration is perfect.

I've started reading the ebook Crux and The Outlaw Demon Wails in print.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I did have a friend abandon The Martian, called it McGuyver in Space. But I'm still liking it.

[Tamahome]

I just started it. It's got some funny one-liners.

[David Sven]

Finished Heroes Die on Audible
My review

starting Altered Carbon on Audible

[Carolina]

Cattfish wrote: "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 ..."

Cattfish (thanks for the correction, I just realized the horrible misspelling!), Jennifer and Christopher: Thanks for the advice. I started reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane and it has a completely different vibe, so I think you are all right saying is more of a Pratchett book.

[Rick]

Grabbed Downside Girls which I like a lot - good short fiction is SO nice to find.

Everyone is talking about The Martian... I'm trying to resist, but I think failing...

[Katy]

Just finished Red Seas Under Red Skies, now moving on to The Republic of Thieves while waiting for my copy of Words of Radiance to arrive in the mail.

[Jason (jasonb)]

Currently reading Old Man's War. I've read Altered Carbon before and loved it but I keep hearing about this book (and series) and started it. It's not helping that I'm trying to finish The Silmarillion and Quicksilver.

I needed something fun and this is it. So reminds me of reading a Heinlein story. I love Heinlein. I know what I want to be when I grow up! A CDF Infantryman!

[Tamahome]

[Joseph]

I finished Altered Carbon and moved straight into Broken Angels.

[David Sven]

Tamahome wrote: ""

Cool. I have to get my copy yet.

[Darren]

Been reading Ellen Kushner's Riverside novels and stories. Enjoying them a lot more than I thought I would, at first.