What Else Are You Reading in 2019? Showing 2,301-2,350 of 3,237

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Carolyn wrote: "Why is it that either nothing on my hold list is available or everything on it is available at once at my library? 4 books arrived today and of course my library card is in a jacket at home so I ca..."

It's like some cosmic rule of the universe! We can call it Carolyn's Law ;-)

[Gabi]

@Beth: LOL! Where do the 4500 pages come from? This would indeed be a tome worthy of house building.

[DivaDiane]

I just ear-Read another story from the Forward Collection: Ark, by Veronica Roth. I started a thread for it in the Short Fiction folder. Why am I reading other stuff when I’m stalling on Downbelow Station? Well, part of it is that I’ve had more time to listen than read lately and also I’m enjoying the sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing off a short story/novellette in short order while I trudge through Way Of Kings and
DS.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Beth wrote: "One of my favorite review sites (unfortunately now defunct) posted an in-depth review of Wise Man's Fear where the gist was that Name of the Wind was good because (view spoiler) and WMF just flat-out says (view spoiler) It's made me not want to bother, since that possible diversion in interpretation was the most interesting aspect of NotW for me. WMF's being 4500 pages long is another disincentive."


I'm sure I've shared this before, but it's too good not to share again.

A Day in the Life of Kvothe, from Penny Arcade:

(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

[Beth]

Gabi wrote: "@Beth: LOL! Where do the 4500 pages come from? This would indeed be a tome worthy of house building."

Oops, left off a zero. My bad!



(Actually it's a mere 1000 pages in hardcover.)

Colleen: that's too good. Just like Kvothe.

[Pam]

After reading book 1 I have got rather into the Shardlake series by C J Sansom so have now read (all I had to hand):

Book 5 - Heartstone - review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2981055422
and
Book 6 - Lamentation -review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2981055866.

[CBRetriever]

I loved the Shardlake series

I finally managed to struggle through The Black Prism for the second time (the second book in the series is in my TBR pile and I want to complete that one).

I had thought that the reason I didn't like it before was because I'd read it so soon after finishing Week's Night Angels series (excellent), so I gave it another shot. It kinda reminded me a bit of the Harry Potter books Not a fan here either) in that the main characters were always running off to "save the world" and causing even more problems. Some of the adults (Gavin and Karris) even seemed to act and think like main teenage protagonist. Maybe book two will change my mind...

[Gabi]

@CBRetriever: I had a similar feeling about The Black Prism. I read this and Gideon the Ninth back to back and definitely suffered from an overdose of adolescent character behaviour and writing.

[Phrynne]

I enjoyed The Black Prism and the next 3 in the series. But I never knew I was going to have to wait so long for book 5. Apparently it is nearly here although I have probably forgotten who most of the characters are.....

[Phrynne]

Pam wrote: "After reading book 1 I have got rather into the Shardlake series by C J Sansom so have now read (all I had to hand):

Book 5 - Heartstone - review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/..."

Your review for Lamentation goes to the wrong page.

[Jordan]

Okay, knocked out Emergency Skin on my morning commute, and wow. I was not impressed with The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms when I read it a while ago, but now I'll have to give her a try again.

Also finished To Be Taught, If Fortunate, which was so incredibly good.

[Hank]

Phrynne wrote: "I enjoyed The Black Prism and the next 3 in the series. But I never knew I was going to have to wait so long for book 5. Apparently it is nearly here although I have probably forgott..."

Almost done re-reading The Black Prism so I can not be completely confused when book 5 arrives. I love it just as much as I did the first time. Weeks isn't very thought provoking but the adventures are fun.

[Beth]

Jordan wrote: "Okay, knocked out Emergency Skin on my morning commute, and wow. I was not impressed with The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms when I read it a while ago, but now I'll have to give her a t..."

I highly recommend trying more of of Jemisin's books. I wasn't super impressed with 100K Kingdoms either--gave it three stars--but everything else I've read by her has been at least very good and The Fifth Season is great, imo.

[Trike]

Jordan wrote: "Okay, knocked out Emergency Skin on my morning commute, and wow. I was not impressed with The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms when I read it a while ago, but now I'll have to give her a t..."

I quite liked The Fifth Season and I *really* liked The Killing Moon, which was a surprise because I don’t typically enjoy that milieu of “Middle East desert”.

[Gabi]

I've read all 6 of the short stories for the Forward Collection and was pleasently surprised by the quality of them. With anthologies I'm usually happy if I like 50% of the stories. Yet here even the weakest - imo the one by Andy Weir - was a nice read.

[Leticia]

I read Empire of Silence and it was very well written. 5 stars for me.

[Krystal]

Been a bit of a slump for me so I'm still reading The Harp of Kings but also slogging my way through Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold and Salvation.

Salvation is definitely more crime than I was expecting - I was expecting more of Aliens eating people so it's been an interesting read so far!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I have definitely bit off more than I can chew.

Again.

Pausing next month's scifi book because I got a hold for Gideon the Ninth which is due to expire well before the Outside will.

So far Gideon is fun! Irreverent, profane in almost every way and funny. We'll see what the next 400 pages bring lol

Red Mars and I had a rocky start, but now that I'm sharing a head with someone I don't personally want to strangle, things are going much better!

And A Night in the Lonesome October is waiting for me, which I apparently have to start Monday to be on time.

[Jim]

Finished the All Systems Red in one day, such a good book! Now my book club is reading Feed, a zombie book, which I find interesting.

[Raucous]

Allison wrote: "... So far Gideon is fun! Irreverent, profane in almost every way and funny. We'll see what the next 400 pages bring lol..."

Since I also have an eye-boggling collection of things stacked up to read this year I was trying hard to ignore this description of Gideon the Ninth. Then I read the lovely characterization of the nuns in the book blurb and realized that resistance was futile (much history there). Thanks.

I'm reading Going Postal as part of a challenge and inspired by a friend who used to work in the local post office. It's been a while since I've immersed myself in classic Pratchett and I'm thoroughly enjoying being back.

[HeyT]

I ended up reading Gideon the Ninth all in one sitting last night. I stayed up until like 3am to finish it. I really enjoyed it though.

[Pam]

Phrynne wrote: "Pam wrote: "After reading book 1 I have got rather into the Shardlake series by C J Sansom so have now read (all I had to hand):

Book 5 - Heartstone - review - https://www.goodreads..."

Thanks Phrynne, fixed it here and will fix it in the other groups where I posted it!

[Pam]

Just finished a Thomas Burnett Swann which has taken ages as I've been off reading the Shardlake novels - Moondust and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2959469326

[Trike]

How do you top genetically engineered giant spiders? With uplifted octopuses, of course! Just finished Adrian Tchaikovsky’s sequel to Children of Time, Children of Ruin. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carolyn]

I’m reading Recursion and it’s seriously messing with my head!

[Pam]

Read Dean Koontz's The Taking and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2992886738.

[Stratos]

I borrowed from the library Oryx and Crake yesterday. I 'm 100+ pages in and I can 't really say I 'm impressed or discouraged. Guess I have to wait and see for this slow burn...

[Krystal]

Just finished Salvation and I really enjoyed it! I don't read too much sci fi because the science does my head in sometimes but I wound up loving how intricate this one was, and how it was also a lot like a crime novel but set in the future on a bunch of different planets etc.



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

[Gabi]

I slept a night over it, but I'm still completely happy with how Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold turned out. This time I can see why she got all the awards. (I've read some award winning books where I had the impression that either the year was shitty in general regarding SFF books or the taste of the jury and mine are on different measuring sticks.)

[Don]

Uplifted Octopi would definitely do it !

[MadProfessah]

Salvation (by Peter Hamilton) is great. Can’t wait to read book 2 in the trilogy.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

HeyT wrote: "I ended up reading Gideon the Ninth all in one sitting last night. I stayed up until like 3am to finish it. I really enjoyed it though."

Glad to hear that. I read one of the author's short stories and enjoyed it a lot, so I've been looking forward to this one.

[Sarah]

@John I’m cracking up because your October is almost exactly what I read in September.

The Institute, Pet Sematary, and I am Legend. Enjoyed all three, and I’m planning to pack more Horror into October.

Because I have problems and I’ve lost my self control.

[CBRetriever]

Pet Sematary always brings to mind the Ramones' Pet Sematray written for the movie:

I don't want to be buried in a pet cemetery
I don't want to live my life again
I don't want to be buried in a pet cemetery
I don't want to live my life again…

It's a real earworm of a song.

And back on topic, after I finally finished The Black Prism, I took a break and read A Daughter of No Nation which was pretty good. Then I started The Blinding Knife and I'm back into struggling with it. Still not getting much better than the first book and the characters still seem juvenile, so I took a break with a real YA/Kid's book which I loved The Ice Dragon.

I'm still not finding the reason why people rave about the Lightbringer series. I won't be buying the rest of the books in the series. I loved the Night Angel Trilogy.

[Gabi]

@CBRetriever: exactly my feelings about the Lightbringer series. I won't even bother to read the second book.

[Eric]

I finished Caribbean. Not a tale for the faint of heart. Next up, a little non-fiction, so it is billed. Open Borders Inc.: Who's Funding America's Destruction?.

[Andy]

Stratos wrote: "I borrowed from the library Oryx and Crake yesterday. I 'm 100+ pages in and I can 't really say I 'm impressed or discouraged. Guess I have to wait and see for this slow burn..."

I was surprised how different Oryx and Crake was from the next two in the Madaddam Trilogy. It was very literary and elliptical, and it took a good while to put together exactly what was going on, whereas books 2 and 3 were much more straightforward stories.

Nothing wrong with either approach—I enjoyed all three. This is just to say that if you make it through #1, and you're curious about the world but not wild about the story style, it might be worth at least sampling #2.

[Gabi]

And another one! Anna suggested Annihilation could be for me - and hell was she right! This is my kind of perfection! I want to dance around and kiss the book.

Anna, anytime you have the feeling something could be to my taste, shout! *Hugs*

[Anna]

Haha! Do you have a physical copy you can kiss? :D If you continue with the series, lower your expectations! I'll keep in mind to rec all the weird ones to you if I run across any!

[Gabi]

Anna wrote: "Haha! Do you have a physical copy you can kiss? :D If you continue with the series, lower your expectations! I'll keep in mind to rec all the weird ones to you if I run across any!"

I'm kissing my kindle, so the other books get some love as well ;) . I'm extremely hesitant to read on, cause the story is perfect as it is now.

[Anna]

I *really* enjoyed the first one, and read the two others immediately after, and wished I'd stopped after the first one. I can't remember anything about books two and three, but the first one is clear in my mind and I kind of want to reread it now.

[Chris]

I second Andy in vouching for the MaddAddam series. I found Oryx and Crake to be interesting yet lacking in some ways. The Year of the Flood was excellent; consider listening to the audiobook for its professional performances of the hippie songs. MaddAddam was also very good and left me with a heavy heart, in a good way.

[Hank]

Anna wrote: "I *really* enjoyed the first one, and read the two others immediately after, and wished I'd stopped after the first one. I can't remember anything about books two and three, but the first one is cl..."

I will completely agree with that. Annihilation good, others not.

[DivaDiane]

Just started re-listening to The Halloween Tree! 🎃

[Jeff]

I read Children of Time a couple of months back and now, after getting my breath back, I'm following it up with Children of Ruin. Really an absorbing read, and so far I'm liking it as much as I did the first.

[Gabi]

I read some graphic novels that were free with my trial month of kindle unlimited and I was mostly underwhelmed by the graphic art. So I remembered my manga collection in the attic and gave this a try. I'm reading "Monster" by Naoki Urasawa at the moment (I'm at book 7/18) and though the drawings are basic and not coloured the love for the individual characters shows clearly. The series is a psychological thriller about a murderer and the characters are satisfyingly multilayered.
A personal bonus is the setting. It takes place in Germany and starts in Düsseldorf, where I live, had some chapters in Heidelberg where I used to do bike trips to on holidays in my teens and even a scene in Velbert where my pet sitter dwells. That's fun to see (even though the German names Urasawa used are all rather old fashioned)

[DivaDiane]

Sounds amazing, Gabi. So names like, Hilde and Friedrich?

[Gabi]

Diane wrote: "Sounds amazing, Gabi. So names like, Hilde and Friedrich?"

Exactly, Diane! 😁

[Jordan]

Finished Gideon the Ninth and loved it. Pre-ordered the next book already.

DNF'ed Misery. I just... don't like Stephen King. I can't stand his writing.

Started on The Harp of Kings. So far, so good.

Circe I'm semi on hold with while I listen to the Forward short stories before my Kindle Unlimited access expires.

[Beth]

Gabi wrote: "I'm reading "Monster" by Naoki Urasawa at the moment (I'm at book 7/18) and though the drawings are basic and not coloured the love for the individual characters shows clearly."

I've been reading translated manga for 30 years and it always tickles me to read things like this. Not in a bad way--it's cool to see what is striking to other readers. Way back when, I was so shocked by the level of sexuality and violence (in comics for teens!) that the difference in presentation didn't register at all.

"That's fun to see (even though the German names Urasawa used are all rather old fashioned)"

:D Manga creators' take on the U.S. and Americans is baffling sometimes, too.