What Else Are You Reading - August 2014

[terpkristin]

It's a new month in my neck of the woods. What else y'all reading?

I finished up Throne of Jade before bed. I'll write my review soon, but the upshot is that I liked it, even if it was similar to the first Temeraire book.

Up next, I'm trying to read the first 2 books in the Lightbringer trilogy, starting with The Black Prism. The third book comes out on the 26th of the month, so I hope to be ready to read it. I've heard good things about the series so far. I may also re-read NotW, though it depends on if I can keep it in confused with The Black Prism. I'm also still working on Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation, that's a book I get to when I'm in the right mindset.

I've got some other things going ok, but I'll mention them when I get to them. :)

[Paul]

Koko Takes a Holiday Which I won in a Goodreads contest

The Girl With all the Gifts

Cibola Burn

Are on my reading list for beginning of August

Then I need to get to Shield And Crocus

[Jack]

I really want to read Fool's Assassin but never got around to reading the Tawny Man Trilogy. Any Hobb fans who think I'd be okay skipping it (with every intention of going back and reading it after Fool's Assassin)?

[[deleted user]]

Just finished The Time Ships by Stephen Baxter. Absolutely amazing. Nominated for 7 major SFF awards and it deserved every bit of it. I normally don't even consider read spin-offs of classics like this is, but damn am I ever happy I bumped across it.
Here's my review

[Elizabeth]

I've just finished Brian Staveley's The Emperor's Blades - liked it, but it felt a lot more YA than it's marketed as. Fine with me, I like YA fantasy.

I'm starting Brandon Sanderson's The Final Empire after loving the Stormlight Archive (so far) and also many positive reviews from Goodreads-ers.

And still slowly working through GRRM's Rogues anthology.

[Rob, Roberator]

Jack wrote: "I really want to read Fool's Assassin but never got around to reading the Tawny Man Trilogy. Any Hobb fans who think I'd be okay skipping it"

Not a chance. You'll need to read Tawny Man first at least. I'd also recommend Liveship before Tawny Man too. Everyone seems to skip that because Fitz isn't the main character.

[Jeff]

Starting off the month listening to Magic Breaks. This is another book in the Kate Daniels series and the introduction by the author sets this up to be a major game changer for the story. We'll have to see if this is hype or not.

[Shad]

Rob wrote: "Jack wrote: "I really want to read Fool's Assassin but never got around to reading the Tawny Man Trilogy. Any Hobb fans who think I'd be okay skipping it"

Not a chance. You'll need to read Tawny M..."

I would agree that you should read Tawny Man first. These books are so much about Fitz and his development as a character. There is a lot that happens to him in Tawny Man that you would miss out on.

I haven't read Liveships yet. I need to get a library card for one of the suburbs around here since they have them on Overdrive and my city's library doesn't. It will be interesting to see how approaching that series from having read Tawny Man will go.

Plus, Fitz actually gets a happy ending in Tawny Man. Knowing how Hobb is going to wreck his happy ending by reading Fool's Assassin might take away some of the satisfaction of him finally getting one (I haven't read Fool's Assassin yet, just enough of Fitz to know that a happy ending is the exception for him).

[Louie]

I just got All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka from the library, so I will start that as soon as I finish my current hold-over read from last month.

[Paul]

Louie wrote: "I just got All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka from the library, so I will start that as soon as I finish my current hold-over read from last month."

I liked the book. Its a nice quick sci-fi book with a good action movie feel.

[Michele]

I got up to book 7 in the Outlander series and had to stop since that's my least favorite of the series, may just skip to the new one.

I'm currently listening to Cecelia Dart-Thornton's Bitterbynde trilogy (on book 2). I love these books, though the language is sometimes overwhelmingly descriptive. I'm really enjoying listening to them this time, instead of reading. (I would read them also but not available as ebooks grr).

Not sure yet if I'm going to re-read NotW - I would but then would be frustrated still waiting for book 3 so idk.

Started Cibola Burn but decided I want to skim through the first 3 again before I start it, that will probably be next.

Pe-ordered Scalzi's Lock In, really looking forward to that one.

[Louie]

Paul wrote: "I liked the book. Its a nice quick sci-fi book with a good action movie feel."

Have you read the recently released manga or graphic novel? I am curious to see how they adapted it to the more visual medium.

[Rob, Roberator]

Michele wrote: "Pe-ordered Scalzi's Lock In, really looking forward to that one. "

You doing the audible thing where you get both versions of the audiobook if you pre-order by the 22nd?

[Paul]

Louie wrote: "Paul wrote: "I liked the book. Its a nice quick sci-fi book with a good action movie feel."

Have you read the recently released manga or graphic novel? I am curious to see how they adapted it to t..."

I did buy the GN and I didnt like it anywhere near as much as the book.

[Michele]

Yes, though I plan on listening only to Wil Wheaton, I figured, was gonna get it anyway, and ordered early enogh for both.

[Rob, Roberator]

Michele wrote: "Yes, though I plan on listening only to Wil Wheaton, I figured, was gonna get it anyway, and ordered early enogh for both."

Haha. Same. I'm just waiting on my August credits. Although it's cheap enough, I wonder if should even use a credit.

[Kristina]

Right towards the end of the last month a friend lent my son and I her whole collection of the Mortal Instruments books. Ended up reading the first 2 in 3 days. I started my Name of the Wind reread and am about half way, but I think I'm going to have to put it down to work on City of Glass, because I can't seem to get the characters off my mind and my son already finished it and keeps teasing me with half spoilers. My plan for the month is probably just reading these borrowed books and getting the club pick done.

[Dara]

Still making my way through Dust of Dreams. I expect I'll go straight into The Crippled God next. I'm also re-reading The Name of the Wind and really not liking Kvothe this time around. I'll also be reading The Mirror Empire when it's released on August 26th.

[Walter]

The Twelve

[Whitney]

So I am reading Silver Shadows,The 90-Day Screenplay: From concept to polish,I, Robot,Phoenix Rising,A Time to Die and hopefully I will also get to The Spiritglass Charade,Magic Slays,Blood Song.

Lets see how this goes

[Joel]

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone. It is quite different from your typical fantasy. Really enjoying it.

[Jennifer]

Kristina wrote: "Right towards the end of the last month a friend lent my son and I her whole collection of the Mortal Instruments books. Ended up reading the first 2 in 3 days. I started my Name of the Wind rere..."

I read the first three books of the Mortal Instruments and enjoyed them more then I thought I would. I was too afraid of the whole 'it's the next Twilight' thing. I'm not sure if I want to continue on with the series though. I thought the third one came to a nice end.

Currently I'm half way through The Magicians. I really like it so far. Next I'll probably move on to Westerfeld's Uglies and maybe another Dresden book since both Jim Butcher and Scott Westerfeld will be at GenCon this year. (So excited about this). I probably won't do a reread of Name of the Wind, simply because I read it not that long ago and it's still pretty fresh in my mind.

[Mysterio2]

Just re-listened to Erikson's Gardens of the Moon and moved onto Deadhouse Gates.

Also working my way through a family member's first draft/first novel.

[Paul]

Also Just ordered this which will be a must read upon its arrival It just came out today.

[Mark]

Kushiel's dart. I started it in July right at the end, so really it is my August read.

[Whitney]

Paul wrote: "Also Just ordered this which will be a must read upon its arrival It just came out today.

"

ooohhh awesome sauce

[Tamahome]

Louie wrote: "Paul wrote: "I liked the book. Its a nice quick sci-fi book with a good action movie feel."

Have you read the recently released manga or graphic novel [All You Need Is Kill/Edge of Tomorrow]? I am curious to see how they adapted it to t..."

I've heard the graphic novel isn't that great, but the japanese magna might be good.

Somehow on Goodreads the graphic novel and the text novel are considered editions of the same thing. Please fix Goodreads gods!

[Trevor]

Been reading a lot of fantasy lately, so fancied some scifi for a break. Wanted something not in a larger series and chose Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds. Loving it so far, it has his signature ridiculous plot that's utterly believable.

[Tamahome]

I've updated my review of Saga. Too many people like it now. -1 hipster stars.



https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rob, Roberator]

Damn you hipsters!

[Dharmakirti]

Joel wrote: "Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone. It is quite different from your typical fantasy. Really enjoying it."

+1

[Sky]

Finished Tower Lord. Loved it even more than Blood Song. Throwing in another Dresden book, White Night, before I move on to either Anathem or Theft of Swords. Probably Theft of Swords...I'll be in Vegas for the next week for a conference, probably need to save Anathem for when my head will be hurting less.

[Joel]

Finished Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone. It was really fun. Now I am probably going to read something nonfictiony before I start back into fantasy.

I have three fantasy books that I will starting in the near future that I am super excited about.
The Crimson Campaign-Brian McClellan
A Shadow in Summer-Daniel Abraham
Stormdancer-Jay Kristoff

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I finished Crux by Ramez Naam, who is one of the John W. Campbell nominees this year. My review is here.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Tamahome wrote: "I've updated my review of Saga. Too many people like it now. -1 hipster stars.



https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Guess that makes you the original hipster?

[Tamahome]

Yeah, but you've probably never heard of me.

[Rob, Roberator]

Tamahome wrote: "Yeah, but you've probably never heard of me."

*Groan*

[Tamahome]

I'm halfway through Angelmaker.

[Rob, Roberator]

Weekend roundup time.

I read The Deaths of Tao and really liked it (My Review).

I also read Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome and now I can't wait for Lock In (which was probably the point). My Review.

I also listened to Patriot Games and found myself kind of disappointed (My Review).

[Louie]

Tamahome wrote: "I've heard the graphic novel isn't that great, but the Japanese manga might be good.

Somehow on Goodreads the graphic novel and the text novel are considered editions of the same thing. Please fix Goodreads gods!"

Yeah, that confused me at first, had to check Amazon that they were separate things. That it was originally a straight text novel, and the manga/graphic novel came much later, because I was completely ignorant about the story's history.

A manga podcast/book club that I follow read the manga version a few weeks back, but I am holding off until I have actually read the novel version to watch that episode.

[[deleted user]]

Just finished The Buried Life by Carrie Patel. Good stuff. I can see why there's a lot of hype behind it.
Here's my review

[Jake]

Just finished the newest iron druid book, Shattered and was really disappointed. my review.

[Alan]

I just finished Three Parts Dead and thanks to everyone in this and July's thread that recommended it! It really is a lot of fun and deserved the praise it got. my review

Time to dive into Words of Radiance and then NotW. After that, I'm really gonna need a science fiction book.

[David Sven]

Finished China Mieville's The City and the City
My review

Starting Guy Gavriel Kay's Under Heaven

[Alain]

Kaleb wrote: "Deadly Class by Rick Remender has to be the most dark and twisted comic I've ever read! Anyone who reads this comment, I highly recommend you read it.
Half A King by Joe Abercrombie just arrived at..."

How does it compare to Fear Agent? Remender is really hit or miss for me. So I don't automatically pick up his stuff.

I am currently reading errr Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy.

In the SF/Fantasy genre I am reading . Pretty cool so far. I am also reading quite a few short stories. Last night I finished Brisk Money by Adam Christoper, available on Tor.com for free, which was ok. Prior to that read The Colonel by Peter Watts, also on Tor, set in the Blindsight world and that was very good.

[Misti]

Since I listened to the Name of the Wind on Audible a few months ago, I'm using August to read Assassin's Apprentice. I didn't get a chance to read it along with the club so this will give me a chance to mark another book off of the ole S&L checklist.

[Viola]

Finished with Flowers for Algernon a day ago and don't feel like reading anything at the moment.

It's funny, I have nearly 40 books in my TBR pile and still it feels as though I have nothing to read.

[Paul]

I read NotW a couple months ago, so I have been reading The Dark Beyond the Stars by Frank M. Robinson. I have read it before, but it is such a great book that I come back to it every so often.

[Joe Informatico]

Going through Ship of Magic on audiobook and reading The Heart of Valor while rereading Name of the Wind.

[Fredrik]

The Name of the Wind is putting me off for some reason, so I'm putting it aside. Instead, after finishing The Goblin Emperor (strongly recommended!) I've started reading Dust, and I'm eager to see where the Silo saga ends up.