What else are you reading - March 2021

[Joseph]

I finished Revelation Space and started Redemption Ark, both by Alastair Reynolds

[John (Taloni)]

^ Redemption Ark is the end book, have you read the others already? You can read them out of sequence but they're better in order.

[Joseph]

John (Taloni) wrote: "^ Redemption Ark is the end book, have you read the others already? You can read them out of sequence but they're better in order."

From what I'm seeing, Redemption Ark is the immediate sequel to Revelation Space, and Absolution Gap finishes the trilogy. Chasm City and the Prefect Dreyfuss books and Pushing Ice are part of the same setting, but not necessarily part of the (view spoiler)[Inhibitor (hide spoiler)] trilogy? Or am I missing something?

(I know that on my Kindle, both Chasm City and Redemption Ark list themselves as Revelation Space #2, but it seems like Redemption Ark is the current preferred #2.)

[Colin]

Like several others here I've also started on A Desolation Called Peace - only one proper chapter in so far, but enjoying being back in this world, with it's crazy character names.

[Rick]

Just finished it. I love that world.

[Dana]

I am finishing reading Underlord by Will Wright. I plan on reading Cassandra Clare’s Chains of Iron next. I notice that others are reading Shadow and Bone. I plan to read the whole trilogy before the Netflix series begins in late April.

[John (Taloni)]

Joseph wrote: "From what I'm seeing (snip)"

Ah! Yes, you're right. I was so sure I didn't check.

FWIW I read them in publication order and prefer it that way. It's all interconnected, altho only three are the "core" books.

[Carrie]

I finished Legacy of the Brightwash by Krystle Matar and I've picked up Dragons of Spring Dawning

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished:


The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams
Rating: 2 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading:


All Clear by Connie Willis

[elizabeth • paper ghosts]

Read The Time Machine for another book group challenge, and was...underwhelmed? I totally understand it's a classic and such a foundational piece of sci-fi, but it's just one of those classics that didn't resonate with me very much.

After finishing up this month's pick, Elatsoe, I'm moving on to Time's Convert. I haven't read a good adult vampire book in a while, so I'm excited to see how it goes. I was a huge fan of A Discovery of Witches, but not so much the rest of the trilogy, so fingers crossed I enjoy this one.

[Paul]

Joanna wrote: "Just started listening to Master of the Revels by Nicole Galland, a sequel to The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. ... I had no idea that a sequel i..."

I had the exact same experience! D.O.D.O is one of my all time favourite feel-good novels, and I had no idea Galland was writing a sequel. When I found out about it, I picked it up along with my pre-order of Desolation Called Peace (which I've been stocked about for months like everyone else in this thread).

Before I get to those though, I have to finish The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson. I'm loving every chapter, but it's been a bit depressing so far. I'll probably read Master of Revels next. Nothing like time travelling bureaucrats and snarky witches to raise one's spirits!

[Trike]

Paul wrote: "Joanna wrote: "Just started listening to Master of the Revels by Nicole Galland, a sequel to The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. ... I had no idea that a sequel i..."

I h..."

That book sounded to me like a riff on the Pixar Theory, which is cool, but since I’d already read a Stephenson doorstopper within a decade I wasn’t excited about another. Kinda seems like this book is different from his other ones.

[John (Nevets)]

My guess is that Stephenson helped a lot with the plotting and story elements, but maybe not as much with the actual writing. So for me, who generally likes his writing style, this was tough. But for others, who are not necessarily a fan of his style it may be a big plus.

[Trike]

I read — inhaled, really — the two books in Jim C. Hines’ “Janitors of the Apocalypse” series, Terminal Alliance and Terminal Uprising. The first one is Space Opera while the second one revisits the Earth overrun with the feral remnants of humanity.

Lighter fare that zips right along, with each book having a couple laugh out loud moments for me.

[John (Taloni)]

Finished up Rob Kroese's book The War of the Iron Dragon: An Alternate History Viking Epic. It's the fifth and concluding book of the series.

I've been enjoying this series quite a bit. The first three have to do with time-lost astronauts trying to build a launch vehicle from scratch in 10th century Scandinavia. The fourth takes a side journey for another time-traveling ship.

Along the way there's an ongoing time loop. There are parts of the third and fourth books that stick out at the time. They are eventually resolved as part of this grand loop. It's clear that Rob had the whole thing planned out years ago when he started. The loop ties up magnificently.

I suppose the rest is slightly spoilertastic...
(view spoiler)[The funny thing about having Vikings in Mech suits as part of the blurb is that you expect a huge battle with thousands of Vikings taking on the enemy. Yeah, that doesn't happen at all. There are certainly Vikings in Mech suits, but not all that many.

Rob is an expressive Christian and there are themes of redemption and sacrifice. The ending reminded me a lot more of Hyperion than Warhammer. A seeming failure that is actually a win.

Rob makes his characters experience the worst possible. The book certainly doesn't lack for pain and defeat. The ultimate victory arrives in a most unexpected fashion. (hide spoiler)]

[John (Taloni)]

Also finished A Desolation Called Peace. What a great book. We've got the Teixcalaan empire from the first book plus a new existential menace. It's an interstellar empire plus first contact and even a hint of Heinlein, but with Arkady Martine's own special focus.

Loved the take on language. Even though it was all in English I got the sense of the complex structure of the Teixcalaan speech.

Probably modest spoilers...
(view spoiler)[

Martine clearly knows her science fiction. The slowly-declining interstellar empire has pieces of the fall of the galactic civilization in the Foundation trilogy. Here though, possibly it could be avoided. There's even an oblique reference to Stranger in a Strange Land. From the section where they are trying to decipher the alien language: "Maybe drink was for both water and for concepts. To take in." It would be hard to find a clearer description of "grok." And, we've seen hive minds before. We could go back to Heinlein's "Methuselah's Children" for that, but really, he was probably stealing from Stapledon's "Star Maker." Altho the Borg are the most obvious example. Martine makes it her own.

The book is erudite enough to qualify as Lit SF. But Martine avoids the dreary trend of authors using familiar tropes and then thinking they've created something new. I'm looking at Station Eleven and even The Fold, which spent many chapters developing a "mystery" that was obvious from the first chapter.

It's also a love story. While I had a good laugh over the trope of the Inevitable Lovers Finding Each Other, from there on the relationship is treated with exquisite subtlety. The "does she or doesn't she" ongoing angst felt like real life. The body language and phrases with two and three meanings lent extra depth to the story.

In the end it is a story of palace intrigue as much as interstellar adventure. The actions of a few affect billions. The Hive Mind aspect becomes critical, and the, well, needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one, in at least two instances.

And as for the love story, it ends but doesn't. Three Seagrass expresses her love by stating her willingness to go wherever Mahit feels comfortable. That's quite a concession for someone who had a major part in averting an interstellar war, who is now likely to have a meteoric career rise. Mahit expresses her love back by not asking her to do so. They are different people with different goals, despite their love for each other. But you know, I think they will meet again. (hide spoiler)]

[Rick]

Completely agree, John. Brilliant book.

[Iain]

Finished off this month's pick Elatsoe which was a fun romp. Nice change of pace in a YA book with no end of the world threats.

Finished listening to The Long and Short of It where max and the Historians of St Mary's continue to cause havoc up and down the time line. Gloriously daft fun.

While waiting for A Desolation Called Peace and The Relentless Moon to come in at the library I started reading the start of the finish cycle, Rocannon's World which is a solid first work from Ursula K. Le Guin, a mashup of SF and high fantasy dating back to 1966. The days when you could publish a 144 page novel :-).

Now what to listen to next.

[Iain]

Finished off this month's pick Elatsoe which was a fun romp. Nice change of pace in a YA book with no end of the world threats.

Finished listening to The Long and Short of It where max and the Historians of St Mary's continue to cause havoc up and down the time line. Gloriously daft fun.

While waiting for A Desolation Called Peace and The Relentless Moon to come in at the library I started reading the start of the finish cycle, Rocannon's World which is a solid first work from Ursula K. Le Guin, a mashup of SF and high fantasy dating back to 1966. The days when you could publish a 144 page novel :-).

Now what to listen to next.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished the 8th book in the Amber series (the 3rd book in the Second Chronicles of Amber):


Sign of Chaos by Roger Zelazny
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I'm going to read another story in:


The Conquering Sword of Conan by Robert E. Howard

before I get on to the 9th Amber book (4th book in the Second Chronicles):


Knight of Shadows by Roger Zelazny

[Geoff]

I just finished A Desolation Called Peace. That was really good! I liked it way more than A Memory Called Empire, and I liked that just fine.

Next up is The Knowledge Machine: How Irrationality Created Modern Science. Not sure yet what my next SFF will be.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finally finished the audiobook of:


Heaven's River by Dennis E. Taylor
Rating: 1 star
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Please note: I am aware that my opinion does not conform to the popular opinion of many other Goodreads readers. No need to point that out or let me know how I can correct myself to be like everyone else. Let's just shake hands and agree to disagree.

[Rick]

Eh, a bit harsh and if you really think that "...Taylor's writing style is not for everyone. It's awful, to be quite frank..." I've no idea why you read the 4th book. Also, lose the annoying "If you need opinions to all be in lockstep" whine - it's unbecoming.

That said, I never got past the first book that we read awhile ago. It's average or a little below for me and while I don't hate it (again, why read 4 books of writing you hate???) I have a lot of other things to read.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Rick wrote: "This message has been hidden because you have blocked this member. To view this message, click here."

Thank you for the unnecessary critique of my opinion. I guess you missed the "agree to disagree" part. Congratulations on being the third person in Goodreads who I've blocked.

[Rick]

Right back at you RJ. Not that you'll see this, but it's immature to post on a discussion forum then try to close off other opinions. No one is trying to tell you you're wrong.

[Julie]

I just started an ARC of The Jasmine Throne, which is one of my most anticipated releases this year.

I’m about halfway through The Weight of Ink for a local book club, which is dense historical fiction.

[Misti]

Started listening to Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows. It's holding my interest so far. I'm out of credits so I'm listening to some of the included subscription stuff.

[Robert]

I finally got back to reading this past week. This morning I finished These Witches Don't Burn. It focuses on a teenaged witch and her struggles with both real life and a magical threat. It has some good female characters, a twisty plot, and strong LGBT themes. I quite enjoyed it.

[Joseph]

On to Absolution Gap, the third Revelation Space book.

[John (Taloni)]

Was ambivalent about reading The Burning God, third book in the "Poppy War" trilogy, due to the intense racism expressed in the first book. Still, I wanted to see if the author would address that by the end of the trilogy. I was also perturbed that the author based the MC on the life of Mao Zedong. Under his leadership some 50 million people died in the "Cultural Revolution" and other euphemistic terms for brutal oppression. So many died that we don't know within a rounding error of 10 million.

I loved the first half of the first book. Then it took a stark turn into brutal history, most notably the Nanjing Massacre. The author says she thinks the history shouldn't be forgotten. I don't know anyone who doesn't know about this event. It was horrific, brutal and awful. But a subject for fiction?

The second book was a mostly forgettable dystopian YA. It also contained what has become one of the grossest tropes in SFF: Needlessly cutting off a girl's hand. I first saw this in Alastair Reynolds' "Revenger" series. Please don't let this become commonplace. It is grotesque at best.

Getting into specifics (expect major series spoilers)
(view spoiler)[ The author proposes genocide of the entirety of Japan as solution. At first I thought this was some kind of commentary on the atomic bombing of Japan. No, bad as that was, those bombings didn't even destroy the entire cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Rin instead killed tens of millions. In the second book she's mildly depressed for a few weeks after destroying the entire island.

Many of my favorite SF authors have cautioned that the character is not the author. So is it just the character that believes this? The third book doubles, triples, quadruples down on the hatred of the Japanese. They're euphemistically called "Mungenese" but there is no question what the "Longbow Island" represents.

Would the many excesses of Mao be addressed? I didn't think so until the very end. The island of Speer is clearly Taiwan, although it's a little closer to the mainland than the real life island. Nezha is an obvious stand-in for Chiang Kai-shek. He had his own brutal history, but it pales beside the tens of millions of dead under Mao.

In the end Rin kills herself, leaving Nezha her apparent assassin. It's all to help the people of "Nikan," clearly China. The author seems to be implying that China was better off without Mao once he had broken the previous regime. Well, I can hardly disagree with that.

I found the trilogy mostly unsatisfying. That's despite a beginning so good I was cheering for the author. The endless racism nauseated me. Rin's glee in violence grossed me out. I can see her prose getting better with time, and other thematic elements that would otherwise be interesting. A major plot point is only implied, never stated.

The series has won plenty of accolades. Many people seem to love the author's work. I am not among them. I think I will leave them to their fun. (hide spoiler)]

[Trike]

I’m glad I didn’t continue that series.

[Geoff]

I just finished The Knowledge Machine: How Irrationality Created Modern Science for my non-fiction book club. Brought me back to a college philosophy class that I took long ago.

Next up: Masquerade in Lodi

[Jerimy]

Let's see, March, I have read:

1. A Handful of Hard Men by Hannes Wessels. Genre: War.
2. The Weight of Blood by David Dalglish. Genre: Fantasy.
3. The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard. Genre: Historical Expedition/Science Expedition
4. Bring Back Yesterday by A. Bertram Chandler. Genre: Sci-Fi
6. Occult Theocrasy by Edith Star Miller. Genre: ???Conspiracy Theory???

Currently reading, Star Trek 7 by James Blish.

So far the best reads this month are The Worst Journey in the World which is a 640 page documentary about a scientific expedition to the South Pole. The main takeaway I got from it was I will never complain about my life again. Those blokes had it rough and a group of them even died during the journey.

A Handful of Hard Men was a great read about a group of SAS operators in Africa fighting terrorism. I truly enjoyed reading about their life and times in Rhodesia.

Finally, I appreciated reading Weight of Blood. The story follows two half-orc brothers. This is dark fantasy and not an innocent read by any stretch of the imagination. I liked the writing style and he left the ending open for more hard wizardry, and hack and slash action. There are five more books in the series, and I am tempted to purchase them to find out what happens to these brothers as they quest.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

I've been on a Rivers of London splurge this month.

I've read:
Book 1: Rivers of London
Book 2: Moon Over Soho
and currently reading (almost finished) Book 3: Whispers Underground

As well as a few of the short stories from Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection

I am reading them and, eventually, the Graphic Novels, in Chronological order.

There are 3 prequels not featuring Peter Grant that I will read later.

[Mark]

Just finished What Abigail Did That Summer, the latest Rivers of London novella by Ben Aaronovitch. The featured players are (view spoiler)[Peter Grant's cousin, Abigail, and her talking fox pals. I can imagine Abigail as the focus of the series while Peter is busy learning how to be a father. The question is, will Nightingale train her, or will she train Nightingale? (hide spoiler)]

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

I have to get past Book 5 before I can read What Abigail Did That Summer.

She has featured in Books 2 & 3 and seems like a cool character to have a whole novella about.

Abigail is Peter's cousin. Peter is an only child.

[John (Taloni)]

^^ I think that may be a slight series spoiler. I'm on book 7 right now and think it may have to do with events obliquely referred to in book 6 and possibly books 7 and 8. It's a fairly obvious development if it is a spoiler. For all I know it's on the blurb - I don't read those ahead in a series to avoid spoilers.

Book 6 was great so I went straight on to book 7. Only problem is, once I read this one and book 8 I'll have to wait for the next! *tap, tap*

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

If you're talking about her being his cousin. It is on the Goodread's description of What Abigail Did That Summer.

She is just a nosy teenage neighbour of Peter's parents in the books I've read.

I don't think it is a major spoiler. In Peter's large extended Sierra Leone family, not knowing everyone you're related to (especially as she's really only a half-cousin) wouldn't be surprising.

[Mark]

Not sure why I thought "niece". I don't recall anything spoilery about their relationship.

[John (Taloni)]

Because...
(view spoiler)[Because Peter's Mom said she would be glad to help raise any children Peter and Beverly had, and Tyburn talked to Peter about the difficulty having a relationship where one ages and the other doesn't. Altho Tyburn seems poorly informed as to the aging effects on Nightingale in recent decades. So it's plausible that Peter and Beverly have had at least one child by the end of book 8. I don't know yet. (hide spoiler)]

[Rob, Roberator]

Yeah, I'd agree that Mark's comment about Peter in post 85 is a pretty big spoiler and should be put in tags.

[elizabeth • paper ghosts]

I finished up Time's Convert and was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it more than the last two books in the All Souls series, but it was still a bit lacking overall.

Blasted through Sometimes I Lie, a fast suspense/thriller. Very twisty! It might be because I don't really read thrillers very often, but it did surprise me a couple of times.

Starting A Witch in Time sometime today. I'm definitely in the mood for more historical fantasy after Time's Convert.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

Rob wrote: "Yeah, I'd agree that Mark's comment about Peter in post 85 is a pretty big spoiler and should be put in tags."

I agree it should be spoiler tagged.

But as someone who is doing a read through of the whole series (Currently on Book 4) none of it is surprising. I had guessed that would happen. It's only really a minor spoiler and only makes me more excited for where they take that character..

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I’m reading In the Quick by Kate Hope Day.

[Ruth]

I’ve just started reading the wuxia-style novella from Zen Cho, The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water. Looks like a fun read and the cover is absolutely gorgeous.

[Misti]

I started reading Every Heart a Doorway on eBook.

On Audible, I started listening to Silverswift, which is a middle grade book. But it has mermaids in it and it's a quick listen at double speed. It takes place in my home state of Georgia. The reader mispronounces the name of St. Simons Island, though, which drives me nuts (she says it with a short "i," like Simmons).

[Trike]

Misti wrote: "The reader mispronounces the name of St. Simons Island, though, which drives me nuts (she says it with a short "i," like Simmons). "

Little things like that can really drop you out of a story, can’t it?

One book I listened to set in New Hampshire kept pronouncing the capitol Concord the way you’d say the jet or the grape, but locals pronounce it like “conquered”.

In The Thomas Crown Affair Pierce Brosnan pronounces Lima, Ohio, the way Lima, Peru, is pronounced: Leema. Except in Ohio it’s “lime-ah”.

In Jaws Richard Dreyfus calls Brisbane, Australia, “brizz-BANE” instead of “brizzbin”.

The narrator of a book set in South Africa (a Lauren Beukes novel maybe?) kept pronouncing St. Lucia the Spanish way: loo-SEE-ya. Locals say “LOO-sha”.

However, I was recently pleased to hear a narrator correctly say the name of Mackinac Island. It’s understandable that people would look at that word and say “mack-in-ack” when it's pronounced “mack-uh-naw”.

[John (Taloni)]

^ Yeah, I've tried to get my wife to say "Concord" the right way. She's a descendant of John Alden so you'd think she would have been taught. Altho the Noo Englandah in me wants to say that the locals actually say "Caaahnkud."

There's a "Hurricane" in Utah that the locals pronounce "her-i-kun." That one's out of nowhere.

A'course as a longtime Bostonian and short time resident near the New Hampshire border, some are obvious to locals from long use. When you put up "Lake Winnipesaukee" a while back, I wanted to quip, "Of course! It's spelled the way it sounds." Then there's Mount Monadnock, and from Pepperell where I lived at that time, the Nissitissit river.

EDIT: Almost forgot my favorite! The English name "Featherstonehaugh," pronounced "Fanshaw." A fan in the Gail Carriger FB group remarked that she's listened to the Parasol Protectorate books and legit thought "Featherstonehaugh" was a different person when she went to print.

[Trike]

Oy, the Massachusetts pronunciations. I truly believe they do it just to mess with people.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

Trike wrote: "In Jaws Richard Dreyfus calls Brisbane, Australia, “brizz-BANE” instead of “brizzbin”."

The trick to pronouncing aussie words is to say it fast and as if no letters are stressed.

Brizzb'n.

Melbourne= Melb'n (never Mell-Born)
Australia= Oz-stray-ya (never Oars-Trail-Yah

and it's ALWAY Tazzie (not TaSS-Ee) 😉

I always find Mid-West american accents can pronounce words strange. I found it weird that a podcaster I used to listen to admitted that his favourite genre of film was Whore Movies.

Until I worked out from context that he was referring to "horror" movies and not some niche porn category 😉