What Else Are You Reading - November 2017

[Rob, Roberator]

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[Trike]

Rob is bored.

[Lena]

Rob is an android!!!!

[Rob, Roberator]

I have no idea what you mean

[Phil]

The letters go up to f. Does that mean it's hexadecimal?

[Geoff]

Just finished River of Teeth, which was another great Tor novella. I've been enjoying them, and the trade paperbacks they release are beautiful.

And I've started Robots and Empire by Asimov, as I make my way through the beginning of the Foundation Universe (having already read the final books).

[John (Taloni)]

I finished Clockwork Rocket. Wow, you peeps weren't kidding! It's an unending physics lesson through and through. And not even our own universe, it's a made up one that is extraordinarily difficult to follow. Plus some macabre reproduction system that requires the death of the mother.

I decided to finish it just to say I took it all the way through. Bleah, it's a trilogy! And not discrete stories, this is pretty much one long story. Plus, the last one is called "Eternal Flame" so I keep flashing on the Bangles. Close your eyes, give me your hand....

When I think of hard sf I'm thinking of things like Protector. Yes, the Bussard Ramships could work, and Niven even calculated the spectra emitted by the fusion flame. But it's also got Phssthpok, who needed a cause to keep living, who wanted to do well by doing good, only to realize he's brought a marauding army down on the very group he wanted to help. And does the only thing his biology will allow, lets himself be killed so humans can have his technology to defend themselves. Or Alastair Reynolds' House of Suns, which contains ramjets, sociological developments over eons, and a longrunning love story.

So I gave Clockwork Rocket a try, and am not at all convinced I'll continue with the other two books in the "Orthogonal" trilogy. Hey, at least Helliconia Spring had a decent ending.

[Silvana]

Finished with Shards of Honor. I have lots of issues with it. Thankfully it is not my first Bujold so I know she could do better in terms of plot. Will give the series one more (and last) try later with The Warrior's Apprentice.

Starting a debut grimdark fantasy The Dragon’s Legacy. I have not read many grimdark female authors (maybe only K. Hurley) so I am looking forward to this one.

[Rick]

John T - I warned you! Egan's hard SF makes other stuff look like kindergarten. His early stuff uses our physics but it's just as hard.

I know people who LOVE that... but they're into the science and the characters etc are decidedly second to them.

[Rick]

Silvana wrote: "Finished with Shards of Honor. I have lots of issues with it. Thankfully it is not my first Bujold so I know she could do better in terms of plot. Will give the series one more (and l..."

Shards is the first novel and I believe her first too. I've never actually read it - I started later in the series when Miles was on the scene.

[John (Taloni)]

^You did! I checked out the reviews and there are a few detractors but many more people who love it. Well, I will let them enjoy. Egan seems to be doing well, more power to him....without me. :)

[Rick]

Yeah, I think the detractors tend to try him and leave off whereas his proponents continue on. Just one of the issues with reader reviews - it's always a self-selected sample.

[Iain]

Finished Before They Are Hanged (★★★☆☆) and am still waiting for it to become Grim and Gritty. Maybe reading Thomas Covenant back in my teens when it came out means that I don't find the premise very new.

Basically a standard sword and sorcery book with common but skilled characters being the hero's. This stuff was in Tolkein (with less murder).

Now to finish the series with Last Argument of Kings which I suspect will be fun.

[Louie]

The only non-comic in my TBR pile right now is Replay. If I will ever get to it this month (or ever) is another matter, since I have only read one actual novel this year. (And that was Pilot X.)

[Jenny]

I'm currently listening to The Collapsing Empire and I'm reading The Wise Man's Fear. Two of my favorite authors!

[Louie]

Jenny wrote: "I'm currently listening to The Collapsing Empire"

Another book I failed to read this year. :/

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

Trike wrote: "Rob is bored."

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[Stephen]

After a nice article written by Laura Hughes about Dorothy Dunnett and the Lymond Chronicles I am starting The Game of Kings the first in the series. And The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye . Plus BOM Doomsday Book.

[Ctgt]

Stephen wrote: "After a nice article written by Laura Hughes about Dorothy Dunnett and the Lymond Chronicles I am starting The Game of Kings the first in the series. And [book:The Girl ..."

Recently finished Game of Kings, took me a while to get through it because of the writing style but I enjoyed it.

[Trike]

Tassie Dave wrote: "Trike wrote: "Rob is bored."

53 6f 20 61 6d 20 49 2c 20 4c 69 74 65 72 61 6c 6c 79 20 62 75 74 20 48 6f 6d 6f 6e 79 6d 6c 79 20 61 6e 64 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 63 72 79 70 7..."

That's what she said.

[Ruth]

John (Taloni) wrote: "I finished Clockwork Rocket. Wow, you peeps weren't kidding! It's an unending physics lesson through and through. And not even our own universe, it's a made up one that is extraordinarily difficult..."

Wow I’m glad I didn’t try to soldier on with this one!!

[Keith]

In need of something stranger than science fiction, so The Men Who Stare at Goats it is.

[Trike]

Keith wrote: "In need of something stranger than science fiction, so The Men Who Stare at Goats it is.

"

That's a wackadoodle story.

[Dara]

Started reading Hyperion. I've had it for years but have been reluctant to read it for some reason. Just into the priest's tale and really enjoying it.

[Ruth]

Dara wrote: "Started reading Hyperion. I've had it for years but have been reluctant to read it for some reason. Just into the priest's tale and really enjoying it."

I read that recently. It was... whoa. Let’s just say that I intend to read the sequel, but not just yet. I need time to recover first!

[John (Taloni)]

^Yeah, it's some heavy stuff. It occupies that difficult to handle intersection, literary and SF, and is actually readable. Endymion is equally as demanding (and rewarding) but comes with an ending that is agonizing. But there is a coda. Oh yes, there is a coda.

[terpkristin]

Dara wrote: "Started reading Hyperion. I've had it for years but have been reluctant to read it for some reason. Just into the priest's tale and really enjoying it."

Enjoying it, eh?

I loved Hyperion, both times I read it. I cried. I laughed. I loved it.

But in order for the story to not just "end" you have to read the sequel (if not the entire cantos). I didn't love The Fall of Hyperion as much as I did Hyperion, but at least it gave a complete arc. I am very glad that I read all 4 books, for the "complete" story.

Book-wise, I procuredDoomsday Book but I am really unmotivated to read it. I'm listening to Death Masks and reading The Core on Kindle. But honestly, with Super Mario Odyssey having come out and knitting to do and work overload, I'm not doing a lot of reading lately...

[Ruth]

Just finished Children of Time which I would highly recommend if you love epic science fiction, and highly unrecommend if spiders make you uncomfortable.

Current audiobook is The Bear and the Nightingale which I highly enjoyed at first. Now - about half-way through - I'm finding myself flagging a bit, although I'm hopeful it'll pick up again.

[Misti]

Been in a bit of a reading slump. Took most of October to get through the Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter, not because I didn't enjoy it (I quite loved it and can't wait for the sequel). I just haven't felt like reading. Trying to get myself out of this slump by reading a library book, Thrawn. I'm halfway through. I think I can make it before it's due back on Tuesday! ;)

[Dara]

terpkristin wrote: "Enjoying it, eh?

I loved Hyperion, both times I read it. I cried. I laughed. I loved it.

But in order for the story to not just "end" you have to read the sequel (if not the entire cantos). I didn't love The Fall of Hyperion as much as I did Hyperion, but at least it gave a complete arc. I am very glad that I read all 4 books, for the "complete" story."

I did start this knowing the book just kind of stops rather than ends so at least I won't be left totally in a lurch, haha.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I'm reading:

- Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
- Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
- Ringworld by Larry Niven
- Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
- Rama II by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee

Hope to finish most of those this month, and will also try to read At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft and The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber.

On the back burner I'm still picking away at A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin.

[Gary]

I am currently reading Nemesis Games by James S.A. Corey (Book #5 of The Expanse) and Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson (Book #3 of the Stormlight Archive). I am reading the Oathbringer preview chapters on Tor.com. The full book comes out on November 14, 2017. I plan to read Blood and Tempest (Book #3 of Empire of Storms) by Jon Skovron next. It will be released on November 28, 2017.

[Joseph]

Finished The Stone in the Skull which, wow, that was good!, and just to be completely different, am starting Tales of the Marvellous and News of the Strange, which is another collection of medieval Arabian tales in the vein of the Thousand and One Nights.

[Rob, Roberator]

Catching up on reviews from the last few weeks:

I listened to:

Empire's End - ★★★☆☆ - (My Review)
Whispers Underground - ★★★★☆ - (My Review)
Raven Stratagem - ★★★½☆ - (My Review)

I also read:

The Book of Swords - ★★★½☆ - (My Review)
Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made - ★★★★☆ - (My Review)

[Phil]

Finished Doomsday Book. I enjoyed it but probably not as much as To Say Nothing of the Dog which I read many years ago. There were far too many coincidences in order to keep the plot going but I certainly had some strong emotions at the end.

[Ruth]

Just finished The Bear and the Nightingale. It was atmospheric but I found the actual story a little disappointing.
Starting The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on audiobook as read by Richard Armitage.

[Misti]

Finished Thrawn last night. It's interesting trying to tie events into the current season of Star Wars Rebels. I'm reading Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files now.

[Jessica]

Just finished Leviathan Wakes. Good story, just found my self slogging through the middle as there was some extraneous writing that could have been tightened up.

Have now started The Collapsing Empire, with All the Crooked Saints on deck.

[Lariela]

Just started Phasma, and Aftermath.

[Allison]

Ruth wrote: "Just finished The Bear and the Nightingale. It was atmospheric but I found the actual story a little disappointing."

That's what I thought, too. Shorter or more plot would have made it great.

The Way of Kings was great the second time. Now re-reading Words of Radiance. Trying to finish it and Edgedancer before I start Oathbringer.

I read and really liked The Girl with All the Gifts as well as the version of Metamorphoses I had. I don't normally like horror or zombie fic, but GWATG was beautiful.

Also listening to Six of Crows and I forgot to cancel my hold on Who Fears Death so I guess that's next.

[Brendan]

Allison wrote: "Also listening to Six of Crows and I forgot to cancel my hold on Who Fears Death so I guess that's next."

Um, I'm really not sure if you'll like Who Fears death. So long as you've read the description and know what you're in for.

[Allison]

Brendan wrote: "Allison wrote: "Also listening to Six of Crows and I forgot to cancel my hold on Who Fears Death so I guess that's next."

Um, I'm really not sure if you'll like Who Fears death. So long as you've ..."

I really appreciate you remembering and giving me a heads up, Brendan! I was warned :) I'm not sure I'll actually read it for that reason, but I've had it on my list forever, and it's here, soo...we'll see!

[Colin]

Allison wrote: "I read and really liked The Girl with All the Gifts .... I don't normally like horror or zombie fic, but GWATG was beautiful."

Yes. 5 stars. Wonderful book. I've just started on The Boy on the Bridge. It's been out for a few months, but I was a bit scared to read it in case it didn't measure up!

[John (Taloni)]

I'm reading The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August which someone here recommended a while back. Surprisingly good, and just the antidote I needed after the, well, doom of Doomsday Book.

The disjointed, free association writing style reminds me of Gravity's Rainbow, but far more readable than that incoherent tome.

I'm about halfway through and one of the pleasures is that I'm pretty sure they're going to save the world from the disaster set up in its early pages, but I still have no idea how.

[Shad]

Finished Infomocracy. Overall it was pretty good, but it was a little frustrating that you never really know exactly what the supermajority is that the characters care about so much.

[Colin]

Dropping everything else to pick up a new book from one of my favourite authors - Places in the Darkness by Christopher Brookmyre. Normally his books are shelved under 'Crime' (or 'Tartan Noir' if you want to get really niche), but in this latest book he has transplanted a detective story onto a space station or "City in the Sky" orbiting the Earth. Eager to see how well it plays out.

[Ruth]

Finished The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde which was very well read by Richard Armitage. Now moving on to Frankenstein: The 1818 Text. Both of those, and Dracula, are in an Audible exclusive omnibus called The Monster Collection. Recommended if you like audio books and you want to catch up on some Gothic reading after The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter.
Also just started All the Birds in the Sky.

[Ruth]

Allison wrote: "Ruth wrote: "Just finished The Bear and the Nightingale. It was atmospheric but I found the actual story a little disappointing."

That's what I thought, too. Shorter or more plot would have made i..."

It also seemed to set up a lot of potentially interesting plot strands (eg the political manoeuvres in Moscow) which then didn’t really pay off. I know there’s a sequel planned but tbh this book didn’t really make me care enough about the characters to want to read more about them.

[Ruth]

Forgot to mention I also just read Daughter of Smoke & Bone. The fact that I forgot about it despite having literally just finished reading it says it all really.

[Louie]

John (Taloni) wrote: "I'm reading The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August which someone here recommended a while back. Surprisingly good, and just the antidote I needed"

Yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed that. And, that reminds me, I should read more of Claire North's books.