What Else Are You Reading in 2019? Showing 1,701-1,750 of 3,237

[Phrynne]

Very much enjoyed Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky

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

[YouKneeK]

My Dune ignorance has finally been shed. :) I enjoyed it, but not with the same level of enthusiasm as many of its fans. I was really caught up in the story during the first part, but my interest faded in the second part. The story is interesting and it was told well, but I thought it was a bit too predictable. I liked the characters and the various character interactions, but I think I would have enjoyed a little more of that interaction and a little less introspectiveness. Still, it was a pretty entertaining book and I’m glad to finally learn what everybody is talking about. My longer review.

Today I plan to start The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder.

[MadProfessah]

I just finished the 2019 Nebula award-winning THE CALCULATING STARS which I enjoyed, but not as much as many others it seems. I’m cleansing my SF palate with a trashy DCI Erika Foster mystery novel by Robert Bryndza while on vacation in Spain.

[Don]

I started "The Calculating Stars" and got distracted, I thinks I'll go see about finishing it.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

The Bone Doll's Twin disappointed me. Much like Shadow Man, I saw what it was trying to do with gender, but found the assumptions and conclusions inaccurate and harmful. Storywise, there wasn't one apparent in this book? I guess it's supposed to become a story in the next book? I kind of want to see how it goes, but I'm not sure I can handle more baked in yuckiness.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was much more interesting, though also more sophomoric than I anticipated. It's clear to me that she was trying to capture some of the YA market, and wasn't perhaps as confident in her abilities or her reception, so she chose tropes which....worked, I suppose, to highlight the worldbuilding and literary experiments which were delightful. I will likely continue this series, but not immediately.

The Book of M is tough so far. I'm getting strong "Walking Dead" vibes but instead of zombies its shadow magic. I'm not far enough in to decide how I feel about that.

[Sarah]

Ohh Allison I’ve been wanting to read The Book of M. I’ll look forward to your review!

[Karen]

YouKneeK wrote: "My Dune ignorance has finally been shed. :) I enjoyed it, but not with the same level of enthusiasm as many of its fans. I was really caught up in the story during the first part, b..."

I recently picked this one off of my TBR shelf and am just to the second chapter. Seems like it's going to be a fast read, if I don't let other books in the way.

[Don]

YouKneeK, while "Dune" ages pretty well, it is a product of it time. I remember reading it in the early eighty's and it was amazing when compared to what was out at the time. None of the book Herbert wrote after, appealed to me much.

[CBRetriever]

and if it seems to be derivative to you, remember that books written after it's release probably were influenced by Dune

it was amazing for its time and it still holds up well

[YouKneeK]

Don wrote: "YouKneeK, while "Dune" ages pretty well, it is a product of it time."

I agree that it has aged well. There are definitely clues about when it was written, but it didn’t have as much of a dated feel as other works I’ve read from around the same time period.

CBRetriever wrote: "and if it seems to be derivative to you, remember that books written after it's release probably were influenced by Dune"

I surely wouldn’t call it derivative. I can’t even really think of more modern works I’ve read that I would consider derivative of Dune. I’m sure there must be other books out there that have borrowed from it, but I can’t think of anything I’ve read that I would consider similar.

In case this caused confusion, when I called it “predictable”, it wasn’t because the story reminded me of something else. I was referring more to the way the story was told. The author frequently telegraphed what was coming next, often intentionally, and I think sometimes not intentionally.

[Kateb]

I liked Dune way back when it first came out, and even re read it a few times

I recently read it and found it a little slow.

I have just read the latest John Conroe book of the Demon accord series, good but not up to his usual standard I hope he isn't being pushed to finish by certain dates.

[Rob]

I've been struggling to make time for book reviews lately, so here is a big huge pile of them. I apologize for not summarizing any of them here, it's taken me too much time already to write them all up.

Audio
Uncanny Collateral - ★★★★☆ - (My Review)

Countdown to Zero Day: Stuxnet and the Launch of the World's First Digital Weapon - ★★★½☆ - (My Review)

The Hanging Tree - ★★★★☆ - (My Review)

Age of Legend - ★★★½☆ - (My Review)

Borders of Infinity - ★★★★☆ - (My Review)

Text
Vessel - ★★★☆ - (My Review)

[Don]

Thanks Rob, "The Hanging Tree" looks good for the que.

[Rob]

Don wrote: "Thanks Rob, "The Hanging Tree" looks good for the que."

Yeah it's probably the best out of that bunch I just reviewed. I really liked the start of the series but I felt like it was meandering too much in the last book.

I don't see books 1-5 on your book shelf, so unless you just didn't shelve them, you'll want to start with Midnight Riot.

[MadProfessah]

I’m surprised by only 3.5 stars for Age of Legend. Michael J Sullivan is basically a ho-to 5-star author for me... what happened in Book 4 of Legends of the First Empire ?

[Rob]

MadProfessah wrote: "I’m surprised by only 3.5 stars for Age of Legend. Michael J Sullivan is basically a ho-to 5-star author for me... what happened in Book 4 of Legends of the First Empire ?"

Not enough for me. That was the problem. The last 1/2-1/3 of the book was good, but then it just stopped. The rest was too much setup.

It's probably one of the lowest ratings I've given him since his early work. I don't always give him 5, but typically at least a 4.

[Tom]

I just read The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers along with the next in the series A Closed and Common Orbit. That led me to The Babylon Eye by Masha du Toit, which is also fun for the world-building and cool characters.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

The Book of M felt like what I imagine dying by suffocation would feel like. Weird bits of life flashed before my eyes, everything flowed sort of like a dream in that I didn't understand why anything was happening and just had to accept it, nothing allowed me to take in new information and by the end I was dying inside.

Onward!

[Sarah]

Ouch- that’s a bummer Allison! Maybe I’ll skip it (sorry you suffered).

I finished Wanderers by Chuck Wendig and thoroughly enjoyed it. All 780 pages...

[Jen]

Nice to hear that, I am eagerly excited to get my paws on Wanderers

[Hope]

I'm working my way through my #tbr books I already own. It's so hard not to purchase new ones because there are so many gems! So far I've made it through all the ARC's besides two I just received.

I'm currently reading through The 5th Wave series. Just organized my shelves by series, want to read first, critically acclaimed, and backburner.

[Dj]

YouKneeK wrote: "My Dune ignorance has finally been shed. :) I enjoyed it, but not with the same level of enthusiasm as many of its fans. I was really caught up in the story during the first part, b..."

That is an issue with going back and reading classics. Many books have come after that take parts of what made it so good and use them in other places and ways. It takes some of the edge off.

[CBRetriever]

I finished the only Robin Hobb series I hadn't read: The Soldier Son Trilogy Bundle which includes:

Shaman's Crossing
Forest Mage
Renegade's Magic

I had read the first book before and absolutely couldn't get into it back in the late 2000s. This time I read them all. It was quite an interesting read with two conflicting cultures, (view spoiler)[ fat-shaming that made me wince (hide spoiler)], forest magic, soldiers, etc.

[Don]

I am going to reread The Sackett novels by the great Louis L'Amour.

[David]

I read The Orphans of Raspay, the new Penric novella, which was exactly what I wanted and expected of a new Bujold story.

[Anisha Inkspill]

[Anna]

David wrote: "I read The Orphans of Raspay, the new Penric novella, which was exactly what I wanted and expected of a new Bujold story."

I also really enjoyed it, but I'm now 100% sure I prefer these novellas on audio. Grover Gardner is great with bringing these characters to life.

[Andy]

Halfway through Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. Fascinating stuff. Old Genghis was somehow both a ruthless dictator and champion of tolerant, progressive governance.

[Gabi]

With The Citadel of the Autarch I finished the first tetralogy of "The Book of the New Sun" by Gene Wolfe. Folks - what a ride! What a work of weird genius! Seldom did I read a whole series so intensely, so attentively, so without spacing out (one case of battle description - but within some 1200 pages that's nothing)
- Another positive surprise in this year's reading schedule.

[Beth]

A lil' ways into Orconomics and Kushiel's Dart and they're proving to be nice breaks from each other. One is not serious at all, the other takes itself way too seriously (it's okay to crack a smile now and then, book, or encourage the reader to do so).

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Beth wrote: "A lil' ways into Orconomics and Kushiel's Dart and they're proving to be nice breaks from each other. One is not serious at all, the other takes itself way too serious..."

"My lips quivered, baring my teeth, a grimace, a growl, hot breath coursing through them like a gasp. But it was not pain. Another feeling swelled in me, bright pleasure I could not contain. What was this, I who was born to love only anguish? Perhaps the most exquisite pain was what called to me--the knowledge that life is short, beauty fades, and this may be the last time I ever see a pie on someone's face."

There, I wrote for you a "Phedre laughed" insert that you should feel free to use whenever you feel appropriate.

[Beth]

Beth laughed too. She laughed at "What was this, I who was born to love only anguish?" before she laughed about the pie.

[Dj]

Don wrote: "I am going to reread The Sackett novels by the great Louis L'Amour."

I have to admit, as far as Westerns go I have always preferred the movies to the books. Kind of sad in a way. I remember watching the Sackett's with Sellick and Elliot and I enjoyed it a great deal.

[CBRetriever]

those were excellent made for TV movies

to keep on subject, I finished The Mount by Carol Emshwiller. This was a truly odd book and reminded me a bit of Planet of the Apes but with Aliens instead of Apes.

[Lowell]

Allison wrote: "My lips quivered, baring my teeth, a grimace, a growl, hot breath coursing through them like a gasp. But it was not pain. Another feeling swelled in me, bright pleasure I could not contain. What was this, I who was born to love only anguish? Perhaps the most exquisite pain was what called to me--the knowledge that life is short, beauty fades, and this may be the last time I ever see a pie on someone's face."

this.. is excellent satire. I enjoyed that book, but yes, it's an angsty word hog of a story.

[Ives]

Beth wrote: "A lil' ways into Orconomics and Kushiel's Dart and they're proving to be nice breaks from each other. One is not serious at all, the other takes itself way too serious..."

That is so beautiful!

[Ives]

I have a list of books printed out for my county's library book awards thing (which I should've done a long time ago, heh). The titles are mainly the popular ones from late 2018-early 2019. so I have a fun few weeks ahead of me!

[YouKneeK]

Yesterday I finished The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder. This is on our group shelf, but disappointingly few people on my friends list have reviewed it. So I would like to mandate that everybody go read this book now please, write at least a one-sentence review, then come give me a link to your review so I can learn what you thought. ;)

I thought it was crazy and fun. It’s steampunk set sort of in the Victorian era, featuring (and misusing, apparently) real people from that that era. Early on in the story, Burton is walking home drunk from a pub when he’s accosted by a strangely costumed man on spring-loaded stilts who leaps out of nowhere, beats him up, and yells at him to do what he’s supposed to do. Burton has no idea who this person is or what he’s talking about. I’m being cagey about the nature of the story because I don’t want to spoil the fun, but I thought it was pretty obvious from early on so I’ll be more specific inside the spoiler tags: (view spoiler)[This is a time travel book. (hide spoiler)]

It has its issues, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody who wants all their science to make actual sense, or if you hate seeing historical figures misused. Minor spoiler with an example: (view spoiler)[Florence Nightingale is a bit villainous in this story… (hide spoiler)] However, I set aside logic for a while and enjoyed the ride. There’s a lot of humor and a non-linear storytelling format (depending on your perspective, I guess) that will keep you on your toes. It’s the beginning of a series, but it tells a complete story. My even longer review.

My next read will be the second book in the series. I’m not sure yet if the setting and characters will sustain my interest for an entire six-book series, but we’ll see how it goes.

[Phrynne]

I saw this title on here and just had to read the book! Glad I did:)

My review of Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees

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

[~ Giulia ~]

YouKneeK wrote: "Yesterday I finished The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder. This is on our group shelf, but disappointingly few people on my friends list have reviewed it. So I wou..."

Oh, Spring Heeled Jack! It's currently on my reread-before-continuing-the-series pile (a rather tall pile, as apparently I have the memory of a goldfish).
I read it years ago and I don't remember much about it. I see I gave it 4 stars so I must've liked it, and from what I remember I think that 'crazy and fun' sums it up nicely for me too. I'm sorry, it's not very helpful for starting a discussion XD

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

YouKneeK wrote: "Yesterday I finished The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder. This is on our group shelf, but disappointingly few people on my friends list have reviewed it. So I wou..."


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

I gave it a 2.5. Don't remember much about it, tbh, but, based on my review, I liked the concept of it, but I thought the writing style was kind of boring. Never did go back to the series.

[Nene Martiashvili]

"-Still ,this is so strange. Predictions by those theories are made by mathematics ,but they work in the real world, so it means the Universe follows the mathematics. However,didn't you tell me that people invented Math? "

First Sci-Fi Novel, which includes profound philosophical questions and cutting edge science problems. And even providing the most mind blowing answers to them, putting all those in an exciting story to read with pleasure.
Eternal Gods Die Too Soon

[YouKneeK]

Thank you Giulia and Colleen, I feel much better now seeing at least a couple more comments from other people who have read it. Giulia, I’m glad that you liked it also! And thank you Colleen for the review link. You were so efficient that you fulfilled my request almost 9 years early. ;)

I also went and read the old 2012 group read threads. There were some interesting comments. (I noticed your comments there Colleen as you were one of the few names I recognized in the thread.) It did seem like the majority didn’t enjoy it nearly as well as I did, although there were a couple people who seemed more enthusiastic. Maybe it just hit me in the right mood, but I'm enjoying the second book so far also.

[Krystal]

YouKneeK wrote: "Thank you Giulia and Colleen, I feel much better now seeing at least a couple more comments from other people who have read it. Giulia, I’m glad that you liked it also! And thank you Colleen for th..."

Doesn't seem like my kind of thing at all so I'll have to decline your polite suggestion to read it XD I certainly prefer my science to be logical so I feel like this would drive me up the wall.

Sorry, YouKneeK!

[DivaDiane]

Help! I have started reading Sabriel which I know was for a group read, a Buddy Read or a reread or something and I’m pretty sure it was for this group, although it might have been for another one. Thing is I can’t find a mention of it in any schedule anywhere. Does anyone have a clue and can clue me in?!?

I should really make an actual note about what books I’ve agreed to read for which group.

[YouKneeK]

Krystal wrote: "Doesn't seem like my kind of thing at all so I'll have to decline your polite suggestion to read it XD I certainly prefer my science to be logical so I feel like this would drive me up the wall."

I'm crushed! ;) But if you ever unexpectedly find yourself on hallucinogenic drugs, I totally recommend having this book handy because I’m sure the science would seem perfectly logical at that time...

[YouKneeK]

Diane wrote: "Help! I have started reading Sabriel which I know was for a group read, a Buddy Read or a reread or something and I’m pretty sure it was for this group, although it might have been for another one...."

Looks like it’s on the schedule for August 15 per Anna’s post here in the Buddy Read Recruitment thread.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Diane wrote: "Help! I have started reading Sabriel which I know was for a group read, a Buddy Read or a reread or something and I’m pretty sure it was for this group, although it might have been for another one...."

Yep! Official re-read starting August 15. Links in the BR thread!

[Don]

My close personal friend George R.R. Martin recommended "Quillifer" by Walter Jon Williams and it's pretty good. Quillifer is a sort of "Tom Jones" character making due as his world goes volatile.

[DivaDiane]

Thank you, Allison! I don’t know why I couldn’t find it!