What Else Are You Reading - August 2018

[TRP]

Last week I read The Sands of Mars. This was, belatedly, my first Arthur C. Clarke and probably won't be my last

[Julie]

Jade City was my feel-good read after The Poppy War. ;)

Listening to The Tensorate Series: 3 Novellas and I have Spirits Abroad, The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, and The Goblin Emperor queued up.

[Rekka]

Tensorate is next for me!

[Tasha]

TRP wrote: "Last week I read The Sands of Mars. This was, belatedly, my first Arthur C. Clarke and probably won't be my last"

One of my favorites!

[Shad]

I’ve read The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World. I really enjoyed the part where it discussed why the Hubble mirror ended up with the flaw that it did. I always wondered how they knew enough about that flaw to design the optics that corrected the mirror.

Also read Zoe's Tale. It was good, but it would have been better to have made The Last Colony a multiple POV book and included the climax of this book instead of it being a separate book.

Starting The Lost Plot to finish up The Invisible Library series.

[Margaret]

I've been following some of the new sci fi and fantasy books, but also enjoying books by 3 women I only learned about quite recently.
I loved the Murderbot series so much, I looked at other series from Martha Wells. I've just finished The Cloud Roads, and will definitely continue with the series. the different species and societies are so different, and the story was great.
I entered into the Chanur series with this one on the basis of a Tor.com article The Pride of Chanur. I finished the series and am now starting on her other scifi series. I know the left hand of darkness is held as an example of the stranger in a strange land experience, but Cherryh's books are disorientating, confusing and plain brilliant.
The other series I am working my way through is the Vorkosigan series from Lois McMaster Bujold.
I want to start on the fantasy series from Lois and CJ Ceryh next. Does anyone have recommendations where to start?

[Joseph]

Margaret wrote: "I want to start on the fantasy series from Lois and CJ Ceryh next. Does anyone have recommendations where to start?"

For Cherryh, I'd highly recommend the Morgaine books (The Complete Morgaine, about a woman on a mission to close Gates that lead between different worlds. They're arguably technically SF if you dig far enough into them, but they read like sword & sorcery fantasy. There's also her Fortress series, beginning with Fortress in the Eye of Time, which is as close as she's ever come to epic fantasy. And another personal favorite is The Paladin, which is a standalone in a kind of Japanese-feeling setting.

I haven't read nearly as much Bujold as I should, but for fantasy a good place to start would probably be the Penric books (Penric's Demon et al.), which are a series of novellas about a young man named Penric and the demon he's tied to. Very good stuff and I believe they take place in the world of another of her fantasy series.

[John (Taloni)]

Finished Jade City which really picked up after the halfway mark. I'm likely to read the sequel when it comes out in a year or so.

Moved on to the Lovecraft novella Mountains of Madness. I want to read it and will finish, but I can only do Lovecraft in small doses. It's such a dense read I feel like I will miss something if I read it like a novel. Also, he does creepy real well and I get the sensation of something vast and ancient looking over my shoulder if I read Lovecraft for long periods of time.

[Joseph]

Just finished Darkwell, the third Forgotten Realms Moonshaes book, and started Jade City -- one chapter in and I think I'm hooked ...

[terpkristin]

Finished up European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman and Home. I tried to start Jade City in audiobook but I think that'll work better for me in print. I'm also starting The Night Masquerade, possibly in audio. If not in audio, then I will find something to listen to, too.

[Brendan]

Margaret wrote: "I want to start on the fantasy series from Lois and CJ Ceryh next. Does anyone have recommendations where to start?"

I've just started on the Vorkosigan series myself (only 2 books in) but for her fantasy I was pretty impressed by The Curse of Chalion. I think its set in the same world as Penric's Demon (mentioned above) but written earlier?

I've only ever read Cherryh's sci-fi, maybe i should check out her fantasy at some point...

[Kristina]

Finished my Iron Druid reread. It was fun, not sure yet how I feel about Scourged. Artificial Condition and Mortal Engines next before I start a throne of glass reread in preparation for the last book of that series coming in oct.

[John (Taloni)]

Well, I guess I'm a liar. "At the Mountains of Madness" picked up once it got to the the heavy Mythos part, so I finished that yesterday, then read two other Lovecraft shorts: "The Nameless City" and "Herbert West, Reanimator." Really only the first is Cthulhu Mythos, but the other is spiritual precursor to many other stories including King's "Pet Sematary." Anyhoo, glad to have finally read those.

Next up: Neal Asher's recent Polity book, The Shadow: Rise of the Jain. As I think about it, will probably be reading that book through Worldcon.

[Dara]

Finished my re-read of Jade City and now I'm reading Red Sister by Mark Lawrence. This is my first Lawrence and I expected grimdark and bleak but holy damn this is dark and brutal. Is there any compassion in this world? Any kind characters?!

[Alan]

Dara wrote: " but holy damn this is dark and brutal. Is there any compassion in this world? Any kind characters?! ..."

That is why I tend to avoid anything labelled 'Grimdark'.

I don't much like 'Noblebright' either, particularly when it is actually low-grade Christian fundamentalist propaganda. (Note: Tolkien and CS Lewis are high grade propaganda - not the same thing!)

Surely there must be a middle way?

[Mark]

Dara wrote: "Finished my re-read of Jade City and now I'm reading Red Sister by Mark Lawrence. This is my first Lawrence and I expected grimdark and bleak but holy damn this is dark and brutal. Is there any compassion in this world? Any kind characters?!"

I just finished Red Sister and yes, (view spoiler)[dark and brutal, but Nona has a code of sorts, for people she considers friends, and she holds them close, in the only way she can. Not exactly kindness, but she cares about them. She also comes to understand more about herself, her mother, and her village, by the end. (hide spoiler)]

I plan to keep reading the series.

[Amy]

After reading an abysmally small number of books (like, half a dozen and pretty much all for research purposes) in the first half of 2018, I devoured Library at Mount Char yesterday and am 27% through Windwitch today. The first reminded me so much of American Gods in tone and twistiness. The second is like a warm blanket and spiced hot chocolate on a cold day. Only better. I don’t know why it took so long for me to pick this up...

[Jonathan]

I just finished Neverwhere and loved it! I am working still working on The Vagrant, Revenger, Skulduggery Pleasant

[Rick]

Glad you liked Mount Char, Amy. Great book.

[Allison]

Late last month I finished:

Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach which was...weird. It could have been awesome but it just didn't quite mesh for me.

and

Revenant Gun which was just awesome. We talked about it for weeks. Love this series.

This month so far I've finished:

Graceling which was my first full cast audiobook. That was a bit of an adjustment. Also I'm feeling very full up on "not like other girls" style "strong, female protagonist" YA now. Allll set, thanks.

The Changeling was either too slow and biographical or too weird and fantastical. It didn't quite all hang together for me, but the writing was beautiful and the parts drenched in dread and suspense were great.

Certain Dark Things was a fun twist on the vampire UF that I just wish had had a better plot.

Trying to decide if I'm mentally prepared to read Parable of the Sower (probably not), waiting for my copy of Ammonite to come in and trying to zoom through The Book Thief (which I'm really enjoying!) so I can listen to Circe (I'm late but I'm getting there!)

[Dara]

Mark wrote: "Dara wrote: "Finished my re-read of Jade City and now I'm reading Red Sister by Mark Lawrence. This is my first Lawrence and I expected grimdark and..."

I'm glad there's some lightness in this book. I'm going to push on.

[Sky]

For me Red Sister is Mark Lawrence YA compared to his other works :)

[Dara]

I enjoy a good boarding school story. It's like Harry Potter except Dumbledore and McGonagall are teaching the students how to be murderers!

[Sheila Jean]

So, halfway through the month and I finished The Poppy War, Dawn of Wonder, and IQ from my earlier post.

Ended up listening to The Three-Body Problem, previous S&L pick and Hugo winner. It was definitely unlike most of my other recent reads so that was good. It took a really long time for me to adjust to Luke Daniels narrating something other than the Iron Druid Chronicles. And as I stated in my review, there was a point in the later half of the book where I thought Da Shi sounded like Oberon!

About 1/2 way through Jade City. I'm sure I'll finish, but it's not as compelling to me as The Poppy War was earlier in the month.

Maybe I'll actually switch to some Sherlock Holmes on the audio side for a breather.....

[Iain]

Just finished Assassin's Fate... sob. (view spoiler)[ a foolish fits wolf 🐺 stalking the forest is a fitting end (hide spoiler)]

Now onto The Rig.

[Sheila Jean]

Sheila Jean wrote: "Maybe I'll actually switch to some Sherlock Holmes on the audio side for a breather....

Ok, so the original A Study in Scarlet is wierd. Why are we in Utah with a bunch of Mormons? (I don't care about spoilers, and I Googled what's going on, but I was very, very confused when Part 2 started.)

[Melanie]

I felt the same way when I actually read a Study inScarlet! Plus, it was a pretty negative depiction of Mormons in general....

[Trike]

Melanie wrote: "I felt the same way when I actually read a Study inScarlet! Plus, it was a pretty negative depiction of Mormons in general...."

Mormons were pretty new back then and viewed as especially wacky. Like Scientology today, except this was in year 10 of their existence. The early days of any religion are pretty weird, because the crazy is still close to the surface.

180 years later they have dialed down the extremism (polygamy, black skin is the mark of Cain, etc.) and people have gotten used to them.

[Melanie]

Trike wrote: "Mormons were pretty new back then and viewed as especially wacky. Like Scientology today, except this was in year 10 of their existence..."

I hear you, but it was really off-putting at the time I read it.

[Stephen]

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith is a great way to learn about the history of Mormons and get all the inside jokes if you plan to see see the great musical " The Book Of Mormons," As for what I am reading, fitting in Words of Radiance in audio and a new short story by Madeline Miller Galatea before Tom tell us the BOM

[Phil]

Finished Jade City. I thought it was OK but parts were kind of boring and too talky for me. I know others loved this book so I don't want to go on too much about what I didn't like.
Starting Too Many Ghosts.

[Michele]

Don't call them Mormons any more :) https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mor...

I lemmed Jade City (for now at least) then I tried The Scourge and I liked it okay but it wasn't what I was in the mood for, so I tried Cinder and blasted right through in about 3 days. Immediately grabbed the next one, Scarlet and I'm liking it too.

[Gary]

I finished reading A Killer's Mind by Mike Omer and The Speed of Sound by Eric Bernt. I am reading Across the River and into the Trees by Ernest Hemingway. I plan to read The Black Echo by Michael Connelly and How to Write Best Selling Fiction by Dean Koontz next.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I finished reading Cinder by Marissa Meyer, book 1 of the Lunar Chronicles which are fairytale retellings in the same universe. But I loved it! Cyborg Cinderella, with fun little twists (just wait to see what happens to the shoe bit. Ha!) Also Cinder is a mechanic, so she's tough, and there is no singing to birds.

[Silvana]

Finished with New York 2140 which is my last Hugo finalist read this year. Phew, I almost did not make it on time. Anyway, I hope Raven Stratagem wins!

Now continuing yet another sea-themed book: Kraken by China Mieville.

[Rik]

Finished Sea of Silver Light by Tad Williams last week. Then finished Ex-Patriots by Peter Clines. Then finished Tell No One by Harlan Coben. Barring a busy day at work will finish Ex-Communication by Peter Clines today. Will probably do another Coben book or maybe Michael Connelly after that. Followed by another Ex book by Clines. Love the Ex series mashup of superheroes vs zombie apocalypse.

After taking a couple of months to do Tad Williams Otherland series (Sea of Silver Light being the last) I want nothing but quick easy listens for a while.

[Colin]

Within a day of each other, I finished Jade City and The Masked City completing my 'Sword' reading challenge for the year.

Jade City finished strongly and I'll definitely think about reading the sequel. The Invisible Library series is still just not quite as gripping as I'd like, but I picked up the third book cheaply a while ago so it gets one more chance to impress.

Next up is The Expert System's Brother, a novella length read from Adrian Tchaikovsky. I was keen to pick up something else from him after enjoying Children of Time so much recently.
​

[Trike]

Colin wrote: "Within a day of each other, I finished Jade City and The Masked City completing my 'Sword' reading challenge for the year...."

City tour!

[Mark]

Trike wrote: "Colin wrote: "Within a day of each other, I finished Jade City and The Masked City completing my 'Sword' reading challenge for the year...."

City tour!"

Ok, just finished City of Miracles, a terrific finale to the The Divine Cities trilogy. The omnibus edition is still on sale at Amazon.

[Dara]

Trike wrote: "Colin wrote: "Within a day of each other, I finished Jade City and The Masked City completing my 'Sword' reading challenge for the year...."

City tour!"

Someone with more artistic skills than I should make a dope SFF t-shirt line themed with city-title books like a travel poster.

Jade City, the Divine Cities, The City of Brass, The City & the City...

[Trike]

Dara wrote: "Someone with more artistic skills than I should make a dope SFF t-shirt line themed with city-title books like a travel poster.

Jade City, the Divine Cities, The City of Brass, The City & the City..."

Ooh, yeah, in a groovy retro style!

https://goo.gl/images/DKX5mj

Hey, look - fictional city posters!

Emerald City: https://goo.gl/images/tDNNbN

Columbia: https://goo.gl/images/WWMEbh

Delta City: https://goo.gl/images/rK6w8W

Orbit City: https://goo.gl/images/tVhKeF

Metropolis: https://goo.gl/images/6JbTi5

Bespin: https://goo.gl/images/6587aL

Winterfell: https://goo.gl/images/ixMYGT

[Dara]

Yeah! Exactly!

[Brendan]

Currently reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, which might actually have a good book hidden within it if it wasn't padded out with all of Heinlein's obsessions, fetishes and foibles. It would be much shorter, though.

[Silvana]

Trying to juggle too many buddy reads this month, and decided to read The Hallowed Hunt along my current read since its series just won the Hugo.

Brendan wrote: "Currently reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, which might actually have a good book hidden within it if it wasn't padded out with all of Heinlein's obsessions, fetishes and foibles. ..."

I should be reading this in a few days. Wondering how misogynistic it is, after seeing people's comments in GR.

[Joseph]

Finished Jade City, which was great, and started The Poppy War, which promises also to be great.

[Brendan]

Silvana wrote: "I should be reading this in a few days. Wondering how misogynistic it is, after seeing people's comments in GR."

I was going to say it hasn't been that bad so far, but then I just finished reading the chapter where the main character proudly explained that (view spoiler)[the moon has no anti-rape laws, statutory or otherwise, and that girls are expected to become sexually active at puberty. (hide spoiler)] So yeah.

[Pancracio]

Currently reading two books and also about to finish them. The first one I started is The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz and the second book The Great Design by Stephen Hawking/Leonard Mlodinow.

I should be finishing both this weekend, which means Im already thinking what other books should I read next :P

[Michele]

@ Brendan - is that misogyny though? Plenty of girls do become sexually active at puberty whether our society thinks that's a good thing or not.

On the moon (in the book) women are less than 50% of the population. There's no rape laws because any man who tries to rape a woman is dead. You don't mess with the women on Luna. Women choose freely.

Heinlein tends to treat sex like a healthy activity that's fun for all and everyone should enjoy as much of it as they can get, starting in whenever they choose - men and women, boys and girls. And yes, there can be scenes that come across as pedophilia, since sometimes the girls/boys are pretty young. But the men/women aren't creeping after them just because they're young - if you see what I mean. They are not predatory for children.

I'm not claiming Heinlein isn't problematic, he definitely explored all sorts of kink. His women are always sex positive, even with goaty old men. But they're also smart as hell, brave and resourceful, and boss the guys around or humor them.

[Brendan]

(view spoiler)[Michele wrote: "There's no rape laws because any man who tries to rape a woman is dead."

Isn't that basically describing a lynch mob? Crowd violence in protection of a woman's virtue has an um, let's say ugly history.

Michele wrote: "But they're also smart as hell, brave and resourceful, and boss the guys around or humor them. "

This is true, which is why its so eyerolling that Heinlein is such a horny author he can't go two pages without reiterating how hot he thinks they are. (hide spoiler)]

[John (Taloni)]

My concern with TMIAHM has more to do with character viewpoint than author's intent. The MC is a fairly limited person who regularly says racist things. Note the regular use of "Chinee" and the MC's use of stereotype. That's part of the point, though. The revolution isn't done by perfect people, but rather imperfect ones doing their best.