SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
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What Else Are You Reading?
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What Else Are You Reading in 2019?
Can I just whip my tongue for what I'm saying next? (well … more like hitting my fingers for writing it) … I'm a quarter into A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay, and I'm bored … ouch! I said it.I hope it takes up pace … because, I mean … a GGK can not be boring, I love his writing! (or I should just stop listening to Fantasy for a time - perhaps I had an overdose …)
Mod
I hope GGK picks up, Gabi, it is sad when a favorite author disappoints!
Well I finished Terminal Alliance and I can highly recommend it. A fun and funny read and full marks for Hine's creativity My review : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My headlong rush through the Vorkosigan saga continues, with Memory, Komarr and A Civil Campaign falling in quick succession. These books are great fun, especially taken together.I took a brief break for the non-fiction The Pentagon's Brain: An Uncensored History of DARPA, America's Top-Secret Military Research Agency, which was okay. It has a few errors and things are left out.
Currently listening to Kill the Farm Boy, which is being narrated by someone with a dozen voices, all of them cartoony, which perfectly suits the silliness of the story.
I think I just found my new favourite thread :)I recently finished Ancillary Mercy. Imho, this series certainly lived up to the hype. Book #1 jumped straight to my Top 25. I loved the unique narrative.
I just finished Children of Ruin. An excellent book, even if it didn't quite live up to the brilliance of the first one for me. Definitely worth reading, although this one was creepy in ways that were harder for me to deal with than the first - it turns out that I am unbothered by intelligent spiders, but (view spoiler) is not my jam at all.I'm also only a few chapters away from finishing a leisurely re-read of my beloved Ninefox Gambit, and then I have a lot of Le Guin short stories to read.
I’ve just finished the first 4 chapters of TIAMAT’S WRATH! Things are happening quickly in the penultimate entry as THE EXPANSE comes to a conclusion in the next book.
"The Overstory" by Richard Powers.
was good.
"Vicious" by V.E. Schwab
ok.
Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan
Stroud.
dnf, will revisit when in mood.
"Shadowblack" by Sebastian de
Castell.
ok. more Squirrel Cat please.
"Where the crawdad's sing" by
Delia Owen
good.
"A Gentleman in Moscow" by
Amor Towles.
Loved it.
"The Event" by Nathan Hystad.
meh.
"The Quantum Magician" by
Derek Kunsken
good.
"Fellside" by M.R. Carey
good.
"A Gentleman in Moscow" was amazing for anyone needing some variety. Reading the description of the book gave me no idea what I was in for, that said there are very few gun shots or explosions.
Wow, I read Amor Towles as "Armor Towels" and now I've got a really weird image in my head.
Bobby wrote: "Wow, I read Amor Towles as "Armor Towels" and now I've got a really weird image in my head."Hand to hand combat is only one of the towel uses...
Mod
After a 6 week struggle I finally finished The Eye of the World. I'm exhausted . Now reading The Suicide Collectors and listening to Zodiac
Finished The Psychology of Time Travel, which was amazing and exactly the time travel craziness that I wanted. I really hope she writes more books, because I will definitely pick them up.Also finished Seven Blades in Black, which I also loved. It's one of those books that looks like a brick but was so much fun to read that I hardly realized how long it actually was. I'm excited that there's another book coming out for it!
And finished Gentleman Jack: The Real Anne Lister, which is the companion book for the show. I don't really watch much TV at all, but I am obsessed with this show right now.
I put aside The Priory of the Orange Tree for now. I just wasn't in the mood. Theoretically I think I should like it, but it kept feeling like a chore to pick it up.
And I'm currently reading... nothing! Nothing I have out from the library is really catching my attention right now so I'm just kind of casting about for something that really hooks me.
Mod
Jordan, I've been hearing good things about Psychology of Time Travel! I'm almost at the point I think I'll have to check it out :)
Jordan wrote: "Finished The Psychology of Time Travel, which was amazing and exactly the time travel craziness that I wanted. I really hope she writes more books, because I will definitely pick th..."That's great to hear! That's one of the books I bought on a whim, cause I liked the title, but haven't read it yet.
Ellen wrote: "After a 6 week struggle I finally finished The Eye of the World. I'm exhausted ."Ah... It's not just me. This was supposed to be my "a book that intimidates you" read for the TBR challenge but in the end it turned out to be "a book that didn't capture my interest enough to finish." Unfortunately that's not one of the TBR categories this year. I'm impressed that you were able to get through that to the end.
I'm still amazed that my spouse dedicated 440 hours(!) of her driving life to listening to the entire series. We have different tastes.
Raucous wrote: "I'm still amazed that my spouse dedicated 440 hours(!) of her driving life to listening to the entire series.."Good lord. Did she circumnavigate the globe?
I listened to all of Wheel of Time too. It didn't require circumnavigating the globe, but it did take several months of driving to and from work (and other things).
I listened to it too. It did take a long time. The main problem though is that you end up with no idea how to spell any of the names of the characters.
Trike wrote: "Raucous wrote: "I'm still amazed that my spouse dedicated 440 hours(!) of her driving life to listening to the entire series.."Good lord. Did she circumnavigate the globe?"
It took almost two years - mostly driving our therapy and agility dogs around. I hope that they enjoyed it too.
Raucous wrote: "It took almost two years - mostly driving our therapy and agility dogs around. I hope that they enjoyed it too."Very handy, having the therapy dogs right there.
Raucous wrote: "It took almost two years - mostly driving our therapy and agility dogs around. I hope that they enjoyed it too.."I started about 16 months ago and i'm currently on book 10. My goal too is to finish the series in about 2 years:)
Phrynne wrote: "I listened to it too. It did take a long time. The main problem though is that you end up with no idea how to spell any of the names of the characters."
I also have them all in dead tree editions culled from dollar bookstores so I can refer to the reference sections and maps :)
Trike wrote: "Very handy, having the therapy dogs right there."So I heard. They're also good for movies. Well, except for the newest one. He's still a puppy in a lot of ways, hasn't quite figured out yet that what's on the screen isn't real, and tries to help the actors in tense situations.
Read"The adventures of Tom Stranger"
by Larry Correia.
It's "meh", Syfi parody.
"Greyhound" by Stephen Piper.
was OK, kid moves through
family disfunction.
I finished “The Gathering Edge”, and am reading “The Long View” (Busby), “The Fallen” (Baldacci) and re-reading “Angel’s Blood” (Singh) for our book club. I read whatever book is present; one in my jacket, one by my recliner, and one in the ‘little boy’s room’. Since I read quickly, and sleep sporadically, I’m averaging 4-5 books a week.
This one is an absolute gem. Only 140 pages but they are all good ones!My review of Walking to Aldebaran by Adrian Tchaikovsky
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I just finished the Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld. The first book, Leviathan, is on our group shelf. This is a YA steampunk series, and some things are a bit predictable, but it was actually a really fun series with lots of adventure, camaraderie, humor, and interesting worldbuilding. It’s set in an alternate version of Earth around the beginning of World War I. The timing worked out well for me on reading this; it gave me something lighter to read this past week while I was completely exhausted due to business travel. Below are my reviews for all three books.Book 1 – Leviathan
Book 2 – Behemoth
Book 3 – Goliath
Next up I plan to start A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. I’m a little early for it as it’s one of our group re-reads starting on June 15, but my library doesn’t have many copies and it isn’t available as an e-book, so I decided to grab it while it was available in case it didn’t stay that way. And now that I have it, even though it isn’t due back until June 17, I don’t want to just sit on it until the last minute in case somebody else needs it.
Phrynne wrote: "This one is an absolute gem. Only 140 pages but they are all good ones! My review of Walking to Aldebaran..."Looks interesting, thanks. Want to read.
YouKneeK wrote: "I just finished the Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld. The first book, Leviathan, is on our group shelf. This is a YA steampunk series, and some things are a bit predictable, but..."We liked this at our house when my kids were the right age (we didn't all read it together, but around the same time), although I thought the third one a bit weaker than the first two.
Karin wrote: "We liked this at our house when my kids were the right age (we didn't all read it together, but around the same time), although I thought the third one a bit weaker than the first two."I agree that the third one was a little weaker. It didn’t seem to have quite as much of the fun adventure as the first two.
read"Skyward" by Brandon Sanderson,
enjoyed it, interested to get next
installment.
Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff. Some of it is a bit usual YA fare, some of it is really clever and it is all very readable.
And finished Aurora Rising. I liked it - it's a fun, easy read with some good ideas in it.My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished The Aeronaut's Windlass and found it to be a very fun read. Hope he comes out with book 2 soon.Since I always need an audiobook, I started Foxglove Summer. If you haven't tried the Rivers of London series, I highly suggest it!
Karen wrote: "Finished The Aeronaut's Windlass and found it to be a very fun read. Hope he comes out with book 2 soon.Since I always need an audiobook, I started Foxglove Summer..."
You and me both - I've been waiting on the Aeronaut sequel for years. :(
Love Rivers of London.
Carro wrote: You and me both - I've been waiting on the Aeronaut sequel for years. :(So long that I have forgotten what it was about!
Well, I read it first in hardback from the public library. Then I bought my own copy when it came out in paperback and read it again. I think I read it a third time last year, without checking the sequel was out and when to buy the sequel....... Well when the sequel comes out doubtless will re-read again.
Reading Shadow of Night, sequel to A Discovery of Witches. I had issues with the first one but enjoyed it in a guilty pleasures kind of way, but I'm 80 pages into this one and wondering when a) anything is going to make sense and b) if my eyeballs are going to get sprained from all the eyerolling...
I recently finished A Canticle for Leibowitz and had mixed feelings about it. My following comments don’t say much about the story itself, but I’m going to put them in spoiler tags to be safe. This is an upcoming group re-read and people who are participating might not want to read any opinions about it so soon before starting it themselves. (view spoiler)
My longer review.
The next book I plan to read is Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear.
YouKneeK wrote: "I recently finished A Canticle for Leibowitz and had mixed feelings about it. My following comments don’t say much about the story itself, but I’m going to put them in spoiler tags to..."It’s pretty good for a book celebrating its 60th birthday this year. I read this in 1984 and it felt pretty scary in the throes of the Cold War.
Mod
I've been meaning to read Canticle, but I think I need a minute before I read scary/bleak one again.
I finished Dreamer's Pool, and it didn't work for me. I think the author was trying a new set up/genre blend and wasn't confident in her storytelling. Also, gadzooks, hide yo' kids, hide yo' wife, they're assaulting everyone up round here.
Swordspoint was another bit of a let down. I think it was supposed to read as brooding, tough men with a soft spot for their lover but it came off as abusive to me. Likely if I'd read it when I was younger, I would have found them swoon-worthy, but now I'm reading it and going "your boyfriend did WHAT to you??"
The Birthgrave had soooo much potential and so much Tanith-ness, but it jumped the shark somewhere, which is saying a lot for her books.
Clockwork Boys also didn't really grab me. But that might be because I have no sense of romance and hate cliffhanger endings, an this book required both.
I've started The Necessary Beggar which is interesting so far, and Strange the Dreamer which has got me hook, line and sinker.
Allison wrote: "Krystal, underwhelmed just in general or compared to SoA or?"In general I guess? I did LOVE SoA, and I'm really fascinated by myths and legends, so add that to the hype and I feel like Circe is just not living up to my expectations. Hopefully it'll turn a corner soon and I'll start raving like so many others! :)
I have finished Soul Music (it wasn't my favourite), and have not long started Hogfather. Focusing on getting the Discworld Death series finished before I branch out to something else
The Necessary Beggar: this is a magical realism-like story about a family of exiles from another dimension who are dumped outside a refugee camp in Nevada. It's an excellent story about family--in both its "blood" and "found" senses, and also a clear-eyed critique of American culture. Short review here.
Soul Music was my first introduction to Prachett but it wasn’t the book. It was an animated series that was on at 5.30 of an afternoon for the kids. It was brilliant. They also did some of the Witches stories. Really loved them.
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SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
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This is good to know, Gabi. I had similar concerns. Although since I'm only on Pyramids, it'll be a ways into the future before I find out for myself.
Read Becoming. This took quite some time for me to finish in audio, but that's no fault of the book, which was fascinating whenever I sat down to listen. (review)
Next up in audio: (dramatic pause) Gardens of the Moon. Maybe the third time will be the charm after two failed attempts in "black and white" form. I kind of hate this narrator though. So over-dramatic, and his attempt at women is just terrible. A pulp genre means pulp narrations, perhaps! Oh well, if it gets me through the book I'll be content.