What are you reading in August 2016?

[Candiss]

Please tell us what you are reading or are planning to read in August.

[Jim]

Finally getting my teeth into Perdido Street Station by China Mieville. And a meaty read, it is. Also have a copy of The Scar (New Crobuzon #2) on hand for my next one.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I am continuing to read Gordon R. Dickson's Childe Cycle, currently starting Young Bleys.

[David]

Just finished reading Ian Esslemont's Night of Knives - I wanted to read some more Malazan stuff before the Book of the Fallen fell too far out of my memory, and I have to say, I absolutely LOVED it.

[Matthew]

Hey guys first time posting here,

I just finished Alastair Reynolds' Century Rain, which I absolutely loved. Alt history mixed with great contemporary SciFi. Ive read his RS series and some of Poseidon's Children. Cant wait to read the rest of his books in the coming year.

Just today started reading Annihilation today, short book before I go out of town, and I'm not going to lie when I say I picked it because of the movie adaption coming up next year. I love the director doing it (worked on ExMachina). I heard that the book is quite strange but compelling and I already feel the same way.

[Jim]

Matthew wrote: "Hey guys first time posting here"

Welcome aboard.

Matthew wrote: "I just finished Alastair Reynolds' Century Rain, which I absolutely loved. Alt history mixed with great contemporary SciFi. Ive read his RS series and some of Poseidon's Children."

Have you read The Prefect? A very good prequel for the Revelation Space tales.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

David wrote: "Just finished reading Ian Esslemont's Night of Knives - I wanted to read some more Malazan stuff before the Book of the Fallen fell too far out of my memory, and I have to say, I abso..."

Good to know, David. I have Esselmont's books on my shelf and wanted a break from Malazan, but I agree with not waiting TOO long so I don't forget everything.

[Matthew]

Jim wrote: "Matthew wrote: "Hey guys first time posting here"

Welcome aboard.

Matthew wrote: "I just finished Alastair Reynolds' Century Rain, which I absolutely loved. Alt history mixed with great contempo..."

Oh I love The Prefect! I read all of his RS series including Chasm City this year. I think the prefect and chasm city are both his best out of the series. But of course the trilogy has a special place in my heart. I plan to read Galactic North and Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days this year as well to I have all of the RS Universe.

[Christine]

I just finished The Fifth Season and am puzzled by the ending (but have just learned this is the first of a trilogy). Moving on, I decided not to read Throne of Glass (mixed reviews) and now need to decide between Beggars in Spain and Valor. I'm tempted to go with the latter since I did enjoy the first book

[Jim]

Beggars in Spain is also a "first book" in a series. The original novella won both the Hugo and Nebula awards.

[Joey]

I finished Martian Time-Slip and Radio Free Albemuth by Phillip Dick, and Dick never disappoints. I plan on reading Seveneves next. I also have the Nancy Kress trilogy on tap, but I'm not sure when I will get to it.

[David]

Kathi wrote: "Good to know, David."
Don't get me wrong Kathi, it's not Erickson - it's much shorter, the plot is less convoluted, there's none of the humour, more questions are answered than with Erickson, and the younger POV is irritating, but it's still a good read, a page turner, great extra information on a vital point in Malazan history, and some of the characters are great. And more than anything, it's lovely to be back in the Malazan world.

[Shel, Moderator]

Hi all - I've been out of town, came back this week and am just now catching up! While I was away I read the first three books of J.D. Robb's "In Death" series, which were great fun (though I don't know that I'd exactly call them SF). I also read Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner, which was fascinating though macabre.

I've just requested A Time of Exile from the library and it shouldn't be long before I get it, since the book is available just at a different library in the network; in the meantime I'm reading short stories in The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015.

[Justine]

Christine wrote: "I just finished The Fifth Season and am puzzled by the ending (but have just learned this is the first of a trilogy). Moving on, I decided not to read Throne of Glass..."

The Obelisk Gate is the next book in the series and comes out August 16!

I'm glad you enjoyed Malice, Christine, I thought it was a really solid first book. Valour is even better both in terms of storyline and pacing, plus there is more focus on female characters, which I felt was lacking in the first book.

This month I started with a new release, Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies by Lindsay Ribar. It is a YA coming of age tale about family secrets with strong elements of magical realism. I thought it was very good and a quick read.

Now I'm reading Parasite by Mira Grant.

[Ken]

Just finished the Jack Reacher book, Tripwire
Not bad, Reacher is better fleshed out character than the other two books. The bad guy is bad, and I don't really enjoy that part of it
It's an ok book though

Bit of a toss up but finally settled on Empire of Ivory

[Sumant]

Here is my review for Titus Alone.

[Shel, Moderator]

Sumant wrote: "Here is my review for Titus Alone."

I agree with your review...I LOVED the first two Gormenghast books, and this one was borrrrring.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I find I am reading very little so far in August--distracted by the Olympics. So, instead, I am working my way through a pile of magazines which do not require the same level of attention as a book.

[Christine]

I'm reading Valor
I'm very glad the author included a cast of characters at the front of the book (the glossary in The Fifth Season was at the end and I didn't know it was there until I finished reading. I am very caught up in this story (Valor) and strongly recommend this series

[Justine]

I finished Parasite by Mira Grant and thought it was pretty good; it dragged a bit in the middle, but overall I liked it enough that I definitely want to read the rest of the series.

I'm just finished Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor and thought it was exceptionally good. I read a lot of YA fantasy, but this one stood out in terms of both the quality of the writing and the imaginative worldbuilding. I've started the second book in the trilogy, Days of Blood & Starlight.

[Shel, Moderator]

Finished and enjoyed A Time of Exile. I'm gearing up for the start of another school year, and figured I have time/energy for one more big monster of a book before things get busy and I go for less demanding reads, so I'm reading Flashback, which has been sitting on my shelf for a few years at least.

[Christine]

I finished Valor which I greatly enjoyed and am now reading easy "summer reads" while on vacation for a week.

[Shehreyar]

Sign of the Unicorn by Roger Zelazny.

[Christine]

Yesterday I started The Last One
It has a very interesting premise and has quickly drawn me into the story

[Christine]

I really enjoyed The Last One and recommend it highly.
Now I'm about to start Beggars in Spain

[Ken]

Well I saw a squirrel a week ago and dropped Empire of Ivory and pulled out Epiphany: A Christian's Change of Heart & Mind over Same-Sex Marriage
I used to like this guy, then about 5 to 7 years ago he twisted to the right and became sort of unlikable. This book is partly about his reasons for his change of heart, what happened after his change, his interviews with several gay people about their life
It's a good book.

Restarted Empire of Ivory

[Heidi]

Hi all,

I read The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker and Forest of Memory by Mary Robinette Kowal.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Well, my Olympics addiction has come to an end, so I will be setting aside the book I had started and abandoned, Young Bleys and starting A Time of Omens today.

[Pickle]

im working my way through short stories from Star Trek: The New Voyages and reading The Drawing of the Three.

Plan is to read all The Dark Tower Books, then maybe go on and read all the Zelazny Amber books but looking at what others are reading makes me want to re-read The Scar and Philip K Dick books

[Carrie]

I'm finally reading my first Brandson Sanderson novel, he is an author I've wanted to read for a while now and like many books/authors I own I've been holding out on reading them. My brain does this whole lets save the best for last kind of thing, but alas why wait, why waste my time reading less then stellar books.

[Shel, Moderator]

Carrie wrote: " I'm finally reading my first Brandson Sanderson novel, he is an author I've wanted to read for a while now and like many books/authors I own I've been holding out on read..."

I started with that one too, and honestly I liked but didn't love it, and didn't see what everyone else was raving about -- then I found a copy of Mistborn on sale and figured I'd give Sanderson another chance, so glad I did because I LOVED that one!

I'm reading short stories while I wait for a chance to go pick up A Time of Omens from the library.

[Chris]

Just finished Leviathan Wakes and enjoyed it. I had always seen the cover (which is very eye-catching) but didn't know anything about it. It had a nice mix of different story lines.

[Alissa]

I'm totally Malazan. I started the month with Gardens of the Moon and I'm currently reading House of Chains.
In between, I picked some romance novels and of those, I particularly liked Entreat Me (dark fairytale after the beauty and the beast) and The Bird and the Sword (YA fairytale, simple and fresh). I've also read a novella, The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince, which I would recommend to all of Robin Hobb's fans out there.

I plan to keep on with Malazan (being a fan of Janny Wurts, I knew this big epic was going to be a great pick) but I'm itching to try N.K. Jemisin and to re-read To Ride Hell’s Chasm as soon as possible. Vacation's over unfortunately, I miss my reading sessions immensely.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Alissa wrote: "I'm totally Malazan. I started the month with Gardens of the Moon and I'm currently reading House of Chains."

Alissa, I hope you will pop into the Malazan discussion folder and add your comments as you read through the series.

I finished A Time of Omens and so have returned to the Childe cycle and Young Bleys.

[Carrie]

Shel wrote: "Carrie wrote: " I'm finally reading my first Brandson Sanderson novel, he is an author I've wanted to read for a while now and like many books/authors I own I've been hold..."


I'm loving Elantris so far, Mistborn is yet anther Sanderson that has been sitting on my shelves for years now.

[Christine]

I've given up on Beggars in Spain after forcing myself to read 2/3 of the book. I keep putting it down and finding other things to do rather than read. I did enjoy the first third, but feel the book bogs down durning the trial and doesn't pick up enough for me to care what happens to the characters. Now off topic reading The Steel Kiss

[Alissa]

Kathi wrote: "Alissa wrote: "I'm totally Malazan. I started the month with Gardens of the Moon and I'm currently reading House of Chains."

Alissa, I hope you will pop into the Malazan ..."

Thank you Kathi!

[DivaDiane]

So, I just finished reading The Telling by Ursula K. Le Guin. First off, I am an unabashed fan of LeGuin's writing, style and subjects. I realize her books may not be for everyone, but she's my all time favorite author. I had been putting off reading this one (15 years of procrastination), because there is a limited number of books by her which I have never read. The time had arrived and I'm very glad that I have read this book. It's beautiful in Le Guin's quiet and assured way. There is a lot to think about, which is why I haven't reviewed it more thoroughly. Anyone who like action and battles in their spec fiction will be bored. Anyone who loves beautiful writing couple with philosophical discussion will be delighted. I was.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I finished Young Bleys last night, part of Gordon R. Dickson's Childe Cycle. In this installment, we go back in time to follow Bleys Ahrens (Hal Mayne's counterpart and nemesis) through childhood and adolescence into early adulthood. The sections with him living on Association with Uncle Henry, Joshua, and Will and his relationships with them were the most interesting to me.

Next up is another book from a series, The White Order, part of L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s Recluce series.

[Shel, Moderator]

School starts next week and our students' summer reading book was The Boy Who Dared, so I'm reading it this weekend so I can talk about it with them (I don't teach English, but I like to read what the kids are reading anyway, both because I always like a good book - duh - and also to show them what it means to be well-rounded...science teachers read too!).