What Else Are You Reading? April 2014

[Jlawrence, S&L Moderator]

Alex wrote: "I've started making the book here and am updating it. Sword & Laser Anthology

If anybody can come up with a better write-up...I haven't found anything from T&V."

Alex, I sent you a PM with the blurb from the back of the book.

[Jlawrence, S&L Moderator]

Rob wrote: "I don't recommend skipping ahead to Tawney man without having at least finished Farseer. Personally I wouldn't skip Liveship either, but that can more easily be done.

I guess if you don't care about spoiling Farseer you can probably read it and not be too lost, but I'm not sure? "

Well, from what I've read in some other reviews, Fool's Errand spends a fair amount of time summarizing what previously happened with Fitz through conversations of various characters. I'm hoping that's true, and we can just prepare to be Farseer-spoiled!

[Rob, Roberator]

Yeah, I don't think you'll be lost necessarily

[David Sven]

Kicked off my self declared horror month with The Relic
My review

Next up is The Rain Dancers by Greg Gifune

[[deleted user]]

David Sven wrote: "Kicked off my self declared horror month with The Relic
My review

Next up is The Rain Dancers by Greg Gifune"

Be sure to check out The Lords of Salem! It's not your typical celebrity written bullshit.

[David Sven]

Rabindranauth wrote: "Be sure to check out The Lords of Salem! It's not your typical celebrity written bullshit. "

I'm not adding any more horror to my to read list till next month

[Tamahome]

Here's a recent horror book for you, David: Laurence Lessig - Republic, Lost.

[David Sven]

Thanks Tamahome. But I prefer interesting horror :)

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I picked up Women's Work by Kari Aguila. It is a self published post apocalyptic women's utopian type book. We'll see!

[Emily]

Jlawrence wrote: "Emily wrote: "JJlawrence wrote: "I'm about to start Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb, while still finishing up God's Jury: The Inquisition and the Making of the Modern World and..."

You are in for a tr..."

It's definitely tough. Of course, you want to stay on track with your book club, and that will probably make skipping some of the books worth it. But, personally, I think that having the emotional history with the characters in Tawny Man is a big part of what makes it a great read. Not that it's not enjoyable on it's own, but it makes more sense within the wider context. You know?

But I would still recommend going back and reading the rest of Farseer and Liveship Traders when you're done. Liveship Traders is one of my FAVORITE series of all time. And Farseer is up there too. So, hopefully this will get you pumped for more of the Elderlings books.

Plus, the author has just announced the release date for the first book in a new series starring Fitz and the Fool. Not gonna brag, but I've already pre-ordered it... I might have a problem...

[Rob, Roberator]

I finished an audio re-"read" of Furies of Calderon earlier this week and only now got to a review because I'm a giant slacker I guess. It started slow for me, but I remembered why I enjoyed it so much after not too long.

I also finished reading A Dance of Cloaks this weekend and wrote a short review of that as well. Not really my thing.

[Jlawrence, S&L Moderator]

Emily wrote: "It's definitely tough. Of course, you want to stay on track with your book club, and that will probably make skipping some of the books worth it. But, personally, I think that having the emotional history with the characters in Tawny Man is a big part of what makes it a great read. Not that it's not enjoyable on it's own, but it makes more sense within the wider context. You know?

But I would still recommend going back and reading the rest of Farseer and Liveship Traders when you're done. Liveship Traders is one of my FAVORITE series of all time. And Farseer is up there too. So, hopefully this will get you pumped for more of the Elderlings books."

That all makes sense, and, yes, if I like it as much as I suspect I will (even when missing out on some context and emotional history), I'll definitely head back to the earlier books.

[David Sven]

Finished The Rain Dancers by Greg F Gifune - Brilliant writing - read it twice back to back.
My review

Continuing horror month with more Gifune in The Living and the Dead

[Pat]

About to finish Wool Omnibus (Silo, #1) (last hundred pages). Not decided what to read next but I will defintely be looking for something a bit less claustrophobic, bleak and depressing ;-)

[Rob, Roberator]

I just finished listening to Academ's Fury (My Review).

I'll be continuing my audio re-read tomorrow with Cursor's Fury.

[Nancy]

I'm reading Sword & Laser Anthology as well. I just finished the fantasy stories, and am ready to start on the sci-fi ones. So far, not all of the stories work for me, but I'm finding plenty that I enjoy.

I'm listening to Night Broken by Patricia Briggs. I'm about a third into the audiobook now and it's quite enjoyable.

[Scott M]

Having trouble settling on a book this month (mostly because I'm avoiding reading Words of Radiance...it sits on my nightstand intimidating me).

Now that A Dance of Cloaks is finished, I'm jumping between books of varied genre;
A Darkling Sea
The Grand Design
Raising Steam
and
Horns

[Pat]

Started Seven Wonders by Adam Christopher

'Capepunk' though? I wish we could stop just adding 'punk' to everything instead of thinking of more interesting names for sub-genres... its just lazy.

[Paul]

Pat wrote: "Started Seven Wonders by Adam Christopher

'Capepunk' though? I wish we could stop just adding 'punk' to everything instead of thinking of more interesting names for..."

I thought that genre was...superheroes

[Rob]

Its already been a pretty busy reading month for me and I haven't even gotten past few pages of Dance of Cloaks.

Otherwise I've already read:

The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones and The Sandman, Vol. 10: The Wake

Just finished Abaddon's Gate via audio which was fantastic just like the rest of the expanse series. I may have to jump into the two short stories already out and there's a third on the way at the end of the month.

Listening now to Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

and readingBorders of Infinity.

I turned a few pages on the S&L Anthology yesterday and will have to read that (quite frankly that should be next month's book of the month!).

Still a few chapters into Midnight Tides. I have to re-immerse myself into Malazan but the Vorkosigan Saga keeps getting in my way these last few months!

[Emily]

I am about 1/3rd through Promise of Blood and so far I am really enjoying it! My one critique seems to be that it combines the best of Western/Fantasy and the worst of Western/Fantasy. So far the only important female characters are a cheating fiancee, a mage who is sleeping with the commander general, and a mute 14 year old. Really, guys? Can we get some more fleshed out female characters?

I'm hoping there will be more important women in the rest of the book...

[Jake]

Emily wrote: "I am about 1/3rd through Promise of Blood and so far I am really enjoying it! My one critique seems to be that it combines the best of Western/Fantasy and the worst of Western/Fanta..."

I really enjoyed it. Don't forget the female they are chasing. And the mute 14 year old is my favorite character!

[Jake]

I just finished Leviathan Wakes. my review. I'm currently reading Before They Are Hanged and listening to Dead Six.

[[deleted user]]

The Fell Sword is going pretty great, I'm almost to the end and things are happening. The Red Knight may very well be the most terrifying person I've read of since Cadsuane.

[Eddie]

I have finished Sand Omnibus by Hugh Howey, and have gotten on a Brandon Sanderson kick reading Steelheart, The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance.

[Scott]

Already finished A Dance of Cloaks so I started The Last Jedi tonight

[Tom]

Just finished The Martian by Andy Weir (one of the best hard SF books I have ever read - audiobook is also very well done). I have also recently finished Abominable by Dan Simmons, Burning Paradise by Robert Charles Wilson, and Shaman by Kim Stanley Robinson. I thought Abominable was even better than The Terror, which I loved, and can't wait for his next book. Burning Paradise was a decent book, especially if you look past the somewhat hard to swallow premise that aliens are hiding in radio waves! Shaman was also a good book, although a departure from Kim Stanley Robinson's most popular SF stuff. This was an (ancient) history fantasy novel centered on a coming-of-age storyline that is well-placed and fun to read. I am currently ready Red Rising by Pierce Brown and The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. Both excellent so far.

[David Sven]

Finished The Living and the Dead by Greg F Gifune
My review

Sticking with Gifune for now with The Bleeding Season

[[deleted user]]

Just finished Asimov's The End of Eternity. Next I think I'll pick something by Poul Anderson. Not sure which. The recent mention on overlooked authors and books made aware I've not read enough of his and I do like what I have read.

I just noticed The Open Library is loaning e-books. New or at least recent books are included. Thanks to all those at the Open Library that made this happen. So, I think I'll give it a try, see how it works and pick one of Anderson's books from there.

[Walter]

I'm not as familiar with Anderson's work as I'd like to be, but here are a couple of suggestions:

If you'd prefer to read an example of his sf work, There Will Be Time was a Hugo nominee in 1973.

If you'd rather check out his fantasy work, Three Hearts and Three Lions is a good one (the earlier novella, written in 1953, is a Retro-Hugo nominee).

[[deleted user]]

David wrote: "Just finished Asimov's The End of Eternity. Next I think I'll pick something by Poul Anderson. Not sure which."

I read The Golden Horn by him recently and enjoyed it a lot, I highly recommend that one.

Another cool book by him I've come across [that's really cheap on Amazon, too!] is War of the Gods.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks for the suggestions. I do think I'll borrow something available from the Open Library rather than buy it on Amazon. Open Library is an amazing project. This new, to me anyway, ability to borrow e-books is something I want to give a try. War of the Gods and Three Hearts and Three Lions are both available. The anthology The Many Worlds of Poul Anderson looks interesting. My to-read pile just keeps growing.

[Jenny]

I haven't been too active on here lately. I'm currently listening to both The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I'm listening to Percy Jackson on my phone when I work out and Narnia in the car. I'm also reading The Island of Dr. Moreau. So far I'm enjoying it a lot more than The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds.

[Ally]

Did a stint in the world of literary fiction, ready for more genre. Going to knock City of Dark Magic out off my to-be-read pile

[Dawn]

Just finished Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop and Terms of Enlistment by Marko Kloos both of which were really good.

[Alex]

I've just finished reading an arc of Robot Uprisings and the rest of my TBR is: A Game of Thrones and Battle Royale.

[Eddie]

Just finished listening to 3 Brandon Sanderson books the last couple of weeks. Decided on something light so I listened to Off to Be the Wizard, which was short and a lot of fun. Just downloaded The End is Nigh because some of my favorite authors are involved, and the apocalypse is one of my favorite settings.

[Geoff]

Onward on the Wheel of Time for me.

Finished The Shadow Rising. Liked it (3 stars) but one of the storylines felt incomplete to me. Although after reading the Goodreads page for The Fires of Heaven implies that it is a sequel to book 4. So perhaps my problems with Shadow Rising will be addressed in Fires of Heaven.

[David Sven]

Finished Robin Hob's Shaman's Crossing on Audible.
My review

Now listening to Sanderson's Words of Radiance - (takes deep breath before embarking on 48+ hours of listening)

[Joseph]

Finished Evil for Evil and am going to finish K.J. Parker's Engineer trilogy with The Escapement.

[Keith]

Finally made it through Crossroads of Twilight, and it definitely lived up to all its hype as just being incredibly terrible. While far and away one of the most pointless and boring books I've ever read, the fact that almost nobody does anything means it was at least less offensive in its handling of female characters than the previous books.

But I can see the light at the end of Robert Jordan's long "milking it for all its worth" tunnel, so on I trudge to Knife of Dreams.

[Trent Fuller]

Michael wrote: "Anybody reading any creepy sci-fi, distant planet/space/military? I'm tired of dystopian. Preferably Tor, since they seem to print the kind of stuff I like."

I am reading The Burning Dark by Adam Christopher. It's a mix of space opera and horror with giant alien spiders thrown in. So far im enjoying it quite a bit.

[Casey]

I just finished Dark Eden: A Novel by Chris Beckett.
My review.

I have a few books I need to finish up yet, but me thinks Abercrombie might be on the horizon.

[Viola]

Am reading Shards of Time and wishing it will never end.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I started the audiobook of The End is Nigh, pre-apocalypse story anthology put together by John Joseph Adams and Hugh Howey. Woohoo!

[Tamahome]

Nice.

[Paul]

Trent wrote: "I am reading The Burning Dark by Adam Christopher. It's a mix of space opera and horror with giant alien spiders thrown in. So far im enjoying it quite a bit. "

Just Finished it. Pretty good read I gave it a four

[Jeff]

Finished Words of Radiance and I loved it!! Started on The Way of Shadows from Audible per the latest S&L Author Spotlight.

[Phil]

Finished A Dance of Cloaks (2 stars) and just starting Storm Front. Only 2 chapters in but so far I'm really enjoying it.

[Sandi]

I haven't posted for a long time. I started Words of Radiance on March 23 and finished it on April 10. I did take a couple of breaks to listen to other things. I listened to The Undead Pool because I got totally hooked on the Rachel Morgan series in March and read all of them in e-books. However, this is a new release and I tend to use Audible for new releases. It's usually a wash price-wise. I also listened to How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf because I really needed a break from the 48 hours that was Words of Radiance and Amanda Ronconi's narration of Molly Harper's books just makes me happy. I also got it really cheap.

In ebook, I read Parasite by Mira Grant. Tapeworms are a lot scarier than zombies. It was a terrific book, but I would have thrown my Nook through the window at the non-ending if it didn't mean I would lose a whole heck of a lot of books.

My library notified me that three ebooks I had on hold were available, so I'm now reading The Circle by Dave Eggers. That will be followed by Insurgent by Veronica Roth and Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.

Between the library and all the great new releases in March and April, I see no hope of digging into my backlog.