What Else Are You Reading - April 2017

[Meripen]

The Tome of Bill series.

[Trike]

Tassie Dave wrote: "TV rarely does his books justice. "Under the Dome" is a perfect example."

Every time I see someone is adapting a King story I roll my eyes. They've done it almost 250 times now and only a handful have been any good. I get that Hollywood is desperate for brand recognition, but jeez louise give someone else a shot. And now we've been getting remakes of his stuff for 20 years. How many versions of The Shining or The Stand or Carrie do we really need?

The only interesting idea I've even seen regarding adapting King's work is the new TV series Castle Rock, where they're taking a bunch of his stories and setting them in that town, but even then it's just a more constrained Supernatural, or slightly weirder version of Haven.

[Trike]

Anyway, I'm reading The Water Knife and early on I twigged that it's a sci-fi version of Chinatown but somewhere around the halfway mark Bacigalupi makes an oblique reference to the events the movie is based on, solidifying the notion for me.

Which means this likely doesn't end well for a couple of the secondary characters.

[AndrewP]

Reading Anita Blake book 5 Bloody Bones, at the moment.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Trike wrote: "Anyway, I'm reading The Water Knife and early on I twigged that it's a sci-fi version of Chinatown but somewhere around the halfway mark Bacigalupi makes an oblique reference to the..."

Forget it, Trike. It's Chinatown.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Did you know Ursula K. Le Guin wrote poetry? I gave it a try for National Poetry Month. My review, with excerpts of what I liked most, is here.

[Maclurker]

I just finished The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man. Man, this book has everything: cannibals, zombies, hidden treasure, mysterious evil gems, lost heir returned from the dead (or Australia; it's not clear), super-villains and heroes, robots AND cyborgs. I think it qualifies as steampunk, though I'm not sure how that genre is defined. But it's light fun reading with lots of action.

But I enjoyed it enough to get the first book in the series, The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack. So I might read the entire series.

[Lariela]

Finally getting around to reading The Martian. I'm also reading Lost Stars, and several other Star Wars books.

[Iain]

Just finished the last of my Christmas presents. Not SF (my family keeps trying to expand my reading habits 😜): Our Souls at Night ★★★★☆. A good little book and a nice interlude.

Still reading The Silk Roads and about to pick up Infinity Engine from the library.

[Sumant]

Here is my review of The Waste Lands

[P.M.]

Reading Orion Shall Rise by Poul Anderson. About 15% into it. It's enjoyable but there's a little more exposition than I usually care for.

[Iain]

Maclurker wrote: "I just finished The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man. Man, this book has everything: cannibals, zombies, hidden treasure, mysterious evil gems, lost heir returned from the dead (or ..."

I very nearly Lemmed Spring Heeled Jack. It is a mess of a book and I only finish d it because it was a local book club read..

[Phil]

Just finished The Invisible Library. I thought the premise and setting had a lot of potential but the writing was rather mediocre. Most of the characters seemed to be defined mainly by who they hated and Irene "snapped" more than "said" things to other people, often for no apparent reason. I think I used to be married to her. The hierarchical nature of the Library didn't sit well with me either.
Starting Tempest by Troy Denning.

[Keith]

Finished The Crow Girl and need to return to some comfort food after that cheery ray of sunshine, so I'm back with Jack McDevitt, reading Cauldron, which so far has been nothing but melancholy about how Earth has decided to stop exploring the galaxy because it's not a monkey maker or politically advantageous. Not the least bit timely, that.

[Rick]

Yeah McDevitt harps on that theme a lot in the later books in that series. It and the ultimate reason for the threat that overarches those books turned me off that one.

[Keith]

Rick wrote: "Yeah McDevitt harps on that theme a lot in the later books in that series. It and the ultimate reason for the threat that overarches those books turned me off that one."

So far, I don't mind the funding/intellectual shrinkage themes, though it could because I work at a research-focused university, so it's a near daily concern. As for the revelation, I reckon I'll be getting to that soon enough as I generally burn through Jack's book pretty quickly.

[Trike]

Keith wrote: "Earth has decided to stop exploring the galaxy because it's not a monkey maker or politically advantageous"

It really drives you bananas when you find out your business is not a monkey maker.

[Rick]

Keith wrote: "Rick wrote: "Yeah McDevitt harps on that theme a lot in the later books in that series. It and the ultimate reason for the threat that overarches those books turned me off that one."

So far, I don..."

It's that the protagonist over and over proves the worth of space flight but it keeps coming up. Then again I didn't say it wasn't realistic, just that it seems like a bugbear of his.

I'm more into the Alex Benedict stuff... started with Polaris and went from there. They're formulaic but fun.

[Nimrod]

I'm currently reading The Whitefire Crossing, and so far it's a fun book. It's not similar to Ryria series by Sullivan, but it might appeal to Ryria fans.

[Carrie]

I've recently started The Graveyard Book. Just finished the first chapter and it's quite a unique story.

[Silvana]

I just had a book shopping spree and grabbed this awesome book Sci-Fi Chronicles: A Visual History of the Galaxy's Greatest Science Fiction. The visual stuff is great, stretching from source materials e,g. books to TV series, movies, and even plays and radio shows. On page 15 now (early age of sci-fi), I plan to read one story a day.

I am also starting The Stars Are Legion finally for not just one, but two group reads in May.

And still struggling with Shadow & Claw. Finished the Shadow part at least.

[terpkristin]

Finished re-reading (listening, this time) The Handmaid's Tale. I think next up in audio is either Sins of Empire or The Blood Mirror. I am still reading through Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race and Satellite Communications (the latter for work/broadening my horizons) and picked up Binti which I didn't realize was a novella (shame on me). So I'll probably knock that out soon.

[Rick]

Picked up Victor LaValle's The Devil in Silver which is next up.

[Rob, Roberator]

I finished listening to Thrawn, and really enjoyed it. Now I need to find some people to discuss the implications of the book. ★★★★☆ - (My Review)

[Sky]

I finished Red Sister. It felt a little like a toned down YA Lawrence (which says a lot of you've read Broken Empire...there is a lot of toning down to do), but it was still loads of fun. 5 stars, a Lawrence book approachable to the masses.

Next up I've started Sins of Empire.

Afer that I'm thinking of reading Void Star. Or i might do Void Star in Audio and Sins of Empire in print...Not sure.

[Silvana]

Red Sister is YA? So he pulled a Joe Abercrombie.

[Aaron]

Finished Villains Rule ★★★☆☆ If you told me this book started as a webnovel I would believe you. I enjoyed it, but it's too tongue in cheek that it is a book and work of fiction for me. The main character also struggles a bit from being less competent than described, as he makes many of the same mistakes he chides other people for making.

Finished For We Are Many ★★★★☆ Really really good, the author kept up the quality, however the book has a bit more 2nd book in a series syndrome which means it generally doesn't tie up any loose ends or resolve anything and just adds more to the mix.

Read books Wolf Star and The Sagittarius Command. ★★★☆☆ These I would give 4 star books individually if I hadn't read the myriad first, the Myriad just covers too much of the same ground and I'm looking forward to the next now that the retreading is gone.

Sky wrote: "I finished Red Sister. It felt a little like a toned down YA Lawrence (which says a lot of you've read Broken Empire...there is a lot of toning down to do), but it was still loads o..."

I'm struggling on the last bit of this book, because so far there has been a ton of water treading, basically I feel like there is no major plot point in the book. Like okay there is a big hook in somewhere near the end of the first half but I have zero faith that will be resolved in this book.

[Damien]

Hello! I'm reading #2 Demon Cycle The Desert Spear, which is shaping up to be a great read so far...! I'll post a review when I'm done - to read my thoughts on other fantasy and history works feel free to check out my book reviews :)

[Keith]

Trike wrote: "Keith wrote: "Earth has decided to stop exploring the galaxy because it's not a monkey maker or politically advantageous"

It really drives you bananas when you find out your business is not a monk..."

You are going ape for that typo.

[Keith]

Rick wrote: "I'm more into the Alex Benedict stuff... started with Polaris and went from there. They're formulaic but fun."

I definitely prefer Alex and Chase.

As for the revelation about the omega clouds...eh. It wasn't bad on the level of how Alastair Reynolds' wraps up the Revelation Space series, a finale I felt tanked the entire series (which until then had been spectacular), but it was certainly a bit of a sad trombone as far as solving mysteries goes.

[John (Taloni)]

Keith wrote: "It wasn't bad on the level of how Alastair Reynolds' wraps up the Revelation Space series."

I am sooooo glad I'm not alone on this. Apparently Reynolds felt the need to conform the ending to some short stories he did before he wrote the first book. As for Revelation Space the book, it felt like a straight rip of Niven to me. It was as if someone decided to follow up on the Tnuctip war by slightly changing names and places. The ramjets were so close to Known Space that I felt like Reynolds owed Niven a royalty.

I don't know if that is his fault or that of his editors. Reynolds had his own "voice" in his short stories and again in later Revelation Space books, so perhaps his editors wanted a more familiar feel for his first book. In any event, what could have been a good take on the Fermi paradox just fizzled out.

[Sky]

Silvana wrote: "Red Sister is YA? So he pulled a Joe Abercrombie."

I wouldn't really say it's YA in general, but for Mark Lawrence or comparing the level of brutality in Broken Empire it's YA :) I just like to call it Mark Lawrence for the masses.

[Trike]

Keith wrote: "Trike wrote: "Keith wrote: "Earth has decided to stop exploring the galaxy because it's not a monkey maker or politically advantageous"

It really drives you bananas when you find out your business is not a monkey maker.

You are going ape for that typo. "

This is the shirt I am wearing right now. :D

[Nimrod]

I'm currently halfway though The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer and really enjoying this one :)

[Damien]

I'm reading The Desert Spear by Peter V Brett... Already notice he's tapping a warrior/Muslim/desert culture where the spear takes place of the sword as the main weapon... Suppose they could both be said to be phallic symbols if you want to go all Freudian about it ;)

[Viola]

Finished with Ninefox Gambit and for the most part I felt lost with all the new words, so I mostly paid attention to the dialog. I really wished for a glossary or something. While I thought it picked up a bit in the last few chapters I mostly just wanted it to end.

Am now reading Bloodline and liking it. I mostly read at night before I go to sleep and this book I feel like reading first thing in the morning as well.

[Joseph]

Viola wrote: "Finished with Ninefox Gambit and for the most part I felt lost with all the new words, so I mostly paid attention to the dialog. I really wished for a glossary or something. While I..."

Would you settle for a faction cheat sheet?

http://www.yoonhalee.com/?p=836

[Keith]

I was in the mood for something idiotic and fun, and it's hard to get more idiotic and fun than Clive Cussler, so The Mediterranean Caper it is! These early Dirk Pitt novels can be...colorful...in how they deal with female characters, can't they?

[Jonathan]

I am reading the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix. It is thoroughly enjoyable!

[Allison]

Keith wrote: "I was in the mood for something idiotic and fun, and it's hard to get more idiotic and fun than Clive Cussler, so The Mediterranean Caper it is! These early Dirk Pitt no..."

Oh, Cussler. Colorful is a generous word :-)

Jonathan wrote: "I am reading the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix. It is thoroughly enjoyable!"

Aw, one of my favorite bits of nostalgia! I hope you continue to like them!

I just finished The Goblin Emperor which was charming, and have started Good Morning, Midnight which seems like it'll have some more meat on its bones.

[John (Taloni)]

I'm kind of between things I really want to read so I fell back on the "maybe" list. Now on the second book of the Dying Earth series by Jack Vance. I didn't love the first one but it's supposed to get better. So far I'm not feeling it. May not finish this series.

Having trouble getting the Hoopla app installed, but if I do, there's three books of Clarke shorts available from the library. Incentive!

[Trike]

Currently about halfway through the sequel to Invisible Library, titled The Masked City. Her writing has improved and the story is moving right along. So far so good.

[Kristina]

Was reading The End of All Things in paperback, but then we went on vacation and I only packed my kindle so I read Deathless because I got it free from tor.com before we left. It was ok.. I think if I was more familiar with the Russian folklore she used to weave the story I'd have liked it more. Reading Strange the Dreamer now since I also started it on vacation and so far I am really enjoying it. Hoping to get back to the Scalzi and wrap that up also before starting the new pick.. which looks awesome.

[John (Taloni)]

Aaaaand The Burning Page came in last night (thanks again Aaron and LA County Library) so I dove right in. Solid book so far. I'll get back to The Eyes of the Overworld...sometime.

[Iain]

Just finished Neverwhere to my 13 year old son. He and I both loved it. A great read ★★★★☆

[Richard]

Iain wrote: "Just finished A Conjuring of Light ★★★★☆. A fun read and a suitable end to the series. Now to read The Invisible Library."

I agree with that, a respectable ending to a pretty good series. An ending i am satisfied with, not wowed by but it gave me comfort that they ened the series well

[John (Taloni)]

Just finished up The Burning Page, the third book in the Invisible Library series. The pieces satisfy and the ending is good, if rushed. What is bothering me after three books is lack of an overall arc for the characters. The plot moves along coherently, but the players just sit there and never change.

Given Irene's choice of name and enjoyment of the Great Detective trope as shown in the first book, (view spoiler)[I would have thought she'd be married to Peregrine Vale by now, perhaps having his child. Instead they just muddle along. The kiss was awkward and strange, although I think that was the point.
(hide spoiler)]

I like the characters fine, I just wanted them to develop more and interact more, instead of remaining stereotypes.

I also don't believe for a minute that (view spoiler)[Zayanna is actually dead. (hide spoiler)]

[Jordan]

Finally finished The Snow Queen. It was better towards the end, but not really worth the slog. My dislike of the characters probably made it feel as long as it did.

Finished Foundation on audiobook, which I liked, except that the ending was kind of abrupt. Put a hold on the next book though.

Finished A Wrinkle in Time as well as the graphic novel version. Really disappointed in it considering how well-loved the book seems to be. I really didn't care for it.

Finished Descender, Vol. 3: Singularities, which was a lot of backstory for the characters. Good backstory though, not the tedious kind.

Just started Ghost Girl in the Corner and Strange the Dreamer, both of which are very good so far.

[Brendan]

Jordan wrote: "Finally finished The Snow Queen. It was better towards the end, but not really worth the slog."

That book was one of my favourites, enough that I also went and read The Summer Queen. I did really like the characters though.

Lately I've been reading:
Memory of Water, a rather acclaimed near-future dystopia from a few years ago. Reminded me a lot of China Mountain Zhang, with the world-spanning chinese hegemony and the emphasis on putting climate change/desertification on a personal scale. ★★★★☆.

The Library at Mount Char. I wouldn't be surprised if this is my favourite book I read all year. Terrific writing that pulls off both humour and horrifying. A great weird story in the tradition of Mieville, and an awesome protagonist in Carolyn. Wish this had won the poll rather than the other library book. Many would hate it but at least it would be an interesting discussion. ★★★★★.

We Who Are About To... Just good old-fashioned SF. Space travelers crash-land on an uninhabited alien planet, decide to make a go of trying to colonize it. If you recognize where the title comes from you can guess how well that goes. ★★★★☆.

Two Serpents Rise. Second book in the Craft Sequence. Enjoyable, well-written fantasy. ★★★★☆.

Rocannon's World. Le Guin's first novel, i think? Not one of her classics, but I enjoyed the take on planetary romance where the protagonist is an academic instead of the usual racist soldier. Even in this early form most of her standard themes are present. ★★★★☆.

Home. Second book from Okorafor's Binti series. Was fine but did not thrill. Story was in the title; she goes home, and that's basically it. ★★★☆☆.

Currently reading: Trouble on Triton: An Ambiguous Heterotopia by Samuel Delany. Kind of bad timing to start this a few days before both Borne and City of Miracles comes out, but it seems fascinating. First novel I've read by Delany.

[John (Taloni)]

Keep reading Foundation. The original trilogy is really one book.

Speaking for myself I would say avoid the later Foundation books (after the trilogy) until you've exhausted the other early Asimov. They're silly add-ons done for the money.