What are you reading in August?

[Felina]

Kathy, I read the book and its really good. I would not consider it to be fantasy by any stretch of the imagination though.

[Jon]

Finished The Warrior's Apprentice this morning - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I'm going to continue on through the omnibus edition Young Miles because I just can't put it down.

I'm still slogging through Consider Phlebas and hope to finish it this weekend.

[Elise]

I just finished Dragonseed by James Maxey. It was entertaining, however I'm not sure if this is the end of the series or not. If it is, then I find this conclusion a bit dissatisfying. If it isn't, then I think this where things start going downhill unfortunately.

Now, I've just started Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie.

[Bronwyn]

I'm with Thalia and Felina on The Time Traveler's Wife. I highly recommend it. The book is much better than the movie.

I finished Equal Rites. I've also finished Wyrd Sisters and a reread of The Time Traveler's Wife. I'm currently reading Witches Abroad and Assassination Vacation; I'm still working at World War Z and haven't touched Bleak House or P&P&Z in a long time...

[Cindy]

In regards to the Dragonseed, I interviewed James Maxey for FBC and he said the book was to be the final one if it had to be so that's why there is "semi" closure as I call it.

He expressed interest in possibly self publishing or something if Soltice isn't brought by another company as his contract was only for 3 books. So there is hope :)

[Arthur]

Bill wrote: "I went to the movie and was really disappointed...it's really just a romance with a bit of time travel thrown in. Many people have told me the book is great, but I don't think I'll read it now..."

Have not seen the movie yet, but the book is sad sad story. Also over hyped IMHO.

Finished Fool's Errand and Golden Fool.

A few months ago I re-read The Farseer and The Liveship Traders trilogies. Loved them as much or even more than when I read them first time 7 years ago. However, The Tawny Man trilogy is a major disappointment so far.
1. The major storyline/plot is very "local", no grand scale plot as it was in the first two trilogies.
2. So many boring descriptions, unbelievable.
3. Hobb's obsession with describing all sorts of gowns, clothes is driving me nuts.
4. Unwarranted number of repeating of what happened in the first two trilogies. Even repeatings within the book itself of what happened a few chapters before!
5. If I didn't know Robin Hobb, I would give up on Fool's Errand after the first 50-100 pages, because I would believe I picked up chick lit by mistake instead of fantasy.

Golden Fool was slightly better than Fool's Errand but still pales in comparison.
A word of warning. Anyone who says that one can read The Tawny Man right after The Farseer, thus bypassing The Liveship Traders is giving a very bad advice because if a person decides they would like to read The Liveship Traders after The Farseer & The Tawny Man, will be disappointed because there are way too many spoilers in The Tawny Man about The Liveship Traders.

[Elise]

Cindy wrote: "In regards to the Dragonseed, I interviewed James Maxey for FBC and he said the book was to be the final one if it had to be so that's why there is "semi" closure as I call it.

He expressed intere..."

Cool, thanks. Yeah, I hope he writes more. :)

[Josh]

I just got done with my Christopher Moore kick, now I'm finally starting on the Xanth series. I just started A Spell For Chameleon and I'm enjoying it so far.

[Usinger]

Just finished Sabriellast night. It is a testimony to sites like this one that I tried it - I don't think I would have picked it up at a book store...

Great book. Great characters. To my eye something of an "old school" fantasy book where we are not really too far from home; but far enough.

I assume this is a series...

[Marc]

Josh wrote: "I just got done with my Christopher Moore kick, now I'm finally starting on the Xanth series. I just started A Spell For Chameleon and I'm enjoying it so far."

The first three books are the best. After them he started writing stories just so he could include bad puns his readers sent him, which quickly snowballed down a slippery slope. I haven't read a Xanth book in years, though.

[Jon]

Finished Young Miles last night.

I'll be starting Left Behind today at lunch and will try to finish Consider Phlebas sometime this week.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Usinger wrote: "Just finished Sabriellast night. It is a testimony to sites like this one that I tried it - I don't think I would have picked it up at a book store...
[snip:]
I assume this is a series..."

Trilogy. It's followed by Lirael, which takes place several years after Sabriel and in which Sabriel is more of a secondary character, and concludes with Abhorsen, which is a direct continuation of Lirael. There's also a short story set in the world, in Across the Wall A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories. According to Wikiedpia, there's also a prequel and a sequel "of sorts" in the works, slated for 2010 and 2011.

For those who liked Sabriel, I also recommend the 'Keys to the Kingdom' series, starting with Mister Monday. It's written for a younger audience, and not quite the same quality as the Abhorsen (Old Kingdom) trilogy, but still a fun and enjoyable read (if slightly meandering in the middle).

[Cameron]

I finally finished Elantris. Moving on to The Crown Conspiracy, and then probably Sabriel.

[Bronwyn]

I finished World War Z An Oral History of the Zombie War. I really liked it. It was very realistic and scary in parts.

There isn't a September thread yet so I'll just add here that I've started The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane and am really enjoying it so far. Roughly it's about a grad student who finds documents relating to a woman who was involved in the Salem Witch Trials, but explores that what if there really were witches and magic, etc. It's really good.

[Andi]

Am getting ready to start the Fablehaven series. Have heard really good things about it and hope it lives up to the hype.