2016 Reading Project - A year of firsts (books, that is)

[Sean]

So last year, I spent most of my "free" reading time (meaning non-S&L pick) reading books in series I'd already started. It went pretty well, and I managed to make a dent in the pile of second, third, or further books that I had meant to read.

However, this left a number of books that are the start of other series sitting on my shelves. So this year, I'm going to focus on dealing with those instead (I'll still read the picks, this is for my free time). And I figured, what the heck, I'll share my thoughts with you guys. I'll also post links to my review as I go along. Hopefully I'll be somewhat entertaining.

Right now, I'm reading The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks (my review). I'd read some of it waaay back when I was in middle school, but gave up pretty quickly, because a) it's freaking huge (700+ pages, in paperback), and b) was a bit too similar to Lord of the Rings for me. But, since MTV is doing a series based on the Shannara books, I figured I should give it another try.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

This challenge resonates with me! I have a few series I'd like to finish:

The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger
Sleepless by Nancy Kress
Ambergris by Jeff VanderMeer
Jean de Flambeur by Hannu Rajaniemi
Nexus by Ramez Naam

[Sean]

Well, this isn't really a "challenge", it's just a way for me to structure my free reading time/whittle down the pile of books I've been meaning to read. But if you want to do something like what I did last year, go for it!

As for me, I'm now a little over 10% through Sword of Shannara, and it's getting better. We're moving away from "blatant LotR rip-off" territory, the plot's finally gotten started, and the characters aren't buying into everything not-Gandalf says. Admittedly, I'd like an explanation for how a kid from the sticks (even one from a reasonably well-to-do family) somehow met and became friends with royalty, but I'm willing to let it slide.

[Michael]

Besides planning to read some more than I did last year (was reading way to little) I also plan on reading/starting:

Expanse series by James S.A. Corey (Been on my shelf for a while now)
The Stormlord Trilogy by Glenda Larke
Lightbringer Trilogy by Brent Weeks
Saga of Pliocene Exile by Julian May (Have only read it in danish, but was missing one of the books which are not in print so have now bought the English versions)
Millenium's Rule Trilogy by Trudi Canavan

Besides those series I in the start of 2015 "started" on The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes but I didn't actually read anything so I also want to start it for real this year.