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What Else Are You Reading?
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What else are you reading - October 2021
Finished Mexican Gothic in a few days. Now moving on to a fantasy horror comic series: Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening.
Maclurker wrote: "I opted out of NOS4A2. Still looking for something just a bit spooky, I’ve tried Mexican Gothic. Enjoying all the delightful creepiness here so far (I’m almost don..." Ruth wrote: "Perhaps Mexican Gothic can be our unofficial alternative pick for those who opted out of NOS4A2 but still want to read something spoopy." Good idea! Who's in?
Well, I'm doing Bradbury, and Something Wicked This Way Comes just came in off library hold. Y'all have fun.
I just finished re-reading Dune. Of course it was really good. Can't wait to see the movie.Now reading the next Penric novella, The Assassins of Thasalon. Bujold sure is prolific since retiring!
Finished up the audiobook of Adrian Tchaikovsky's The Doors of Eden. On the whole, an entertaining parallel earths action adventure, with perhaps a little too much detail given over to the possible alternative evolutionary paths. (Literally given as extracts from a fictional scholarly book/paper on the subject.) The between-chapter interludes really just slowed down the book and diverted from the parts I was otherwise enjoying.Think my next listen will be Babylon's Ashes, if I want to stay ahead of the next televised series of The Expanse. (Which I do!)
Mod
I'm listening to that now! It's really good. I'm doing a reread ahead of the final book's release next month.
Rob wrote: "Colin wrote: "Think my next listen will be Babylon's Ashes ..."I'm listening to that now! It's really good. I'm doing a reread ahead of the final book's release next month."
I'll catch up when I catch up. I've always been a few books behind on this series!
Maclurker wrote: "Maclurker wrote: "I opted out of NOS4A2. Still looking for something just a bit spooky, I’ve tried Mexican Gothic. Enjoying all the delightful creepiness here so far I’ve made a breakout thread for discussion of Mexican Gothic for those who are interested in reading it as an unofficial alt-pick:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Have been reading quite a bit, not sure how much to put here. Anyhoo, got Something Wicked This Way Comes and am about a quarter of the way through. TBH I'm not sure I ever read it, saw the movie as a teen. It's...freaky. The creepy of Long After Midnight set in Dandelion Wine's town.Anyhoo, had my usual insomnia read...actually this book is not a good insomnia read. It's far too significant down to the sentence structure or even individual phrases. No half-awake reading. But, to my amusement, there was a section about middle aged men having insomnia. Part of it was about the despair of being awake at 3 AM. Which I read...not too long after 3 AM. Yeah, insomnia sucks, but at least I've got a Kindle for company.
John (Taloni) wrote: "Part of it was about the despair of being awake at 3 AM. Which I read...not too long after 3 AM. Yeah, insomnia sucks, but at least I've got a Kindle for company."My phone with its library of audiobooks is my companion in middle-aged insomnia (while my six-years-older partner has never had an issue with insomnia, as far as I can tell, grr). When I listen to a section three or four times and can't understand it, no matter how simple the writing might be, that's when I know my brain has finally settled down and it's time to take out the earbuds. :)
Lost Gods started out great then turned into kind of a generic fantasy. I might just DNF this and move on to something else.
Finished Something Wicked This Way Comes. This is probably Bradbury's best work. It's also his hardest to read.There's no way to casually read this book. Many of his others lend themselves to immersing yourself in Bradbury's incredible of use language and symbolism, and just letting the story wash over you. This one practically demands to be read deeply. Not just by chapter, or even by sentence. Even down to the level of individual clauses, this book is fraught with meaning, symbolism, psychology and history.
I couldn't read with a game TV in the background, on or really any noise. It had to be a quiet room. The slow roll of the carnival's evil as it is exposed builds inexorably to a tense climax. It's a boy's story, but adults have significant, even critical roles.
I also like how the end isn't a full win. Some threads are left unresolved. Good may win over evil, but not completely. And as for the evil, Bradbury does an exceptional job portraying it. It's a departure from his other depictions of carnivals, which were eerie and supernatural but not necessarily bad.
Anyway. Great Halloween read. Bradbury excels in them.
Have also read a bunch of other books recently...might get into those later.
Been a rough month (a week on my back recovering from an op) so had to read.Did manage to listen to the pick NOS4A2 which was fine if too long.
Read Atomic Women: The Untold Stories of the Scientists Who Helped Create the Nuclear Bomb which is a history of the women involved in the Manhattan project. A bit thin on my accomplishments but still revealing (did you know the first nuclear pile was designed by two women).
I also found out why Lise Meitner did not win the Nobel prize (yes misogyny) which reared its head again this year with only one female winner and that for Peace.
Started The Last Graduate and am listing to Dragonfly Falling because NOS4A2 wasn't long enough.
Iain wrote: "Been a rough month (a week on my back recovering from an op) so had to read.Did manage to listen to the pick NOS4A2 which was fine if too long.
Read [book:Atomic Women: The Untol..."
I hope you’re recovering now Iain!
I have been spending a lot of time in my car lately, so I have been catching up on audiobooks. This is a good one, available for free on Audible with a subscription (your results may vary):
The Coming Storm by Michael Lewis
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Going back several weeks...I read the Assassin's Apprentice trilogy. I'm not that big a fan of Fantasy being much more on the Laser side, but I enjoyed Wizard of the Pigeons so much that I decided to give it a try. I'm always glad when authors get paid and it does look like this series made Robin Hobb well off.The series was pretty much as expected. Secondary world, medieval society, magic. Among things to like: Most of the stakes were fairly small, having to do with one kingdom. It wasn't world-endangering until really the end of the third book.
For me the best part was how Hobb worked in a real life progression to the events. She makes reference to a correspondence she had with Fritz Leiber in the intro to the first book. He said that life events happen and don't have to make sense. Telling a story this way makes it more realistic. This really should be part of every creative writing class. It's not all about the "Hero's Journey." Have narrative structure, yes, but sometimes random events influence the story. That's life.
Being not such a great fan of fantasy, I didn't love this the way others have. I can see the artistry, the slow burn of events, the progression of the characters. I found it amusing that the MC eventually does all of the things he's accused of, yet they were for the good rather than the evil he's cast as by other characters. But it didn't grab me the way so many others have been.
By way of analogy, it's as if I went to visit my hometown after being away for many years. A bakery that used to make delicious confections has greatly expanded. It now sells vast amounts of specialty bread. People wait in line anticipating their purchase. I go and buy a loaf and can tell that it is indeed good bread. Yet I still miss the confections I used to buy, and the bakery doesn't make them any more. I'm glad the owner is doing well and has such a big customer base. Maybe I'll even be back for another loaf. But oh, those confections.
The confection here being Wizard of the Pigeons. Such a great book, so well done. I bought it expecting an alternate history, which it isn't. But it is an alternate world of magic, just beyond normal sight. I could ask for more like that, but what precipitated that book? The Vietnam war and the blasted, shellshocked people who returned from it. Think I'm fine with that not being replicated. Altho an argument could be made that it has.
There's quite a bit more in the Assassin's Apprentice world. I may be back for more. Not right away tho.
I've moved on to Tremontaine: The Complete Season One, so still in Ellen Kushner's Riverside, but this is a prequel that was originally serialized on Serial Box (or whatever they're calling themselves these days).
John (Taloni) wrote: "Going back several weeks...I read the Assassin's Apprentice trilogy. I'm not that big a fan of Fantasy being much more on the Laser side, but I enjoyed Wizard of the Pigeons so much that I decided ..."Later books have (view spoiler)!
Yesterday I finished Changeling by Kiri Callaghan. Charlotte "Charlie" Carroll is a misfit teen who does have a mother who loves her. When her mother falls into a strange sleep and doesn't wake up, Charlie has to go into a world of dreams and nightmares to save her mother.I really enjoyed this book. Charlie is a great character, and other intriguing characters pop into the story. There's humor and warmth, but the story also gave me some feels towards the end. You don't have to have read the first book to like this, but it helps.
Ruth wrote: "Iain wrote: "Been a rough month (a week on my back recovering from an op) so had to read.Did manage to listen to the pick NOS4A2 which was fine if too long.
Thanks, recovering quickly after my ritual Halloween disembowelment :-)
Just finished The Last Graduate which had some worthwhile twists. I still found the protagonist to be on the whiny side but a worthwhile YA take on a magic school (one where a more Hermione like character takes the lead).
Now on to The Once and Future Witches.
I just started The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig & I'm digging it so far. Mexican Gothic is next.
I'm reading Dracula right now and read The Shining before that. Next I think I'm going to switch it up and go with Harry Potter since I've been on a 6 month horror kick xD
Ian (RebelGeek) wrote: "I just started The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig & I'm digging it so far. Mexican Gothic is next."Oh man, I've had my eye on Mexican Gothic. Let me know when you're starting and I may tag along!
Peter wrote: "Ian (RebelGeek) wrote: "I just started The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig & I'm digging it so far. Mexican Gothic is next."Oh man, I've had my eye on Mexican Go..."
In case you missed the earlier discussion up thread: Mexican Gothic is our unofficial alt-pick for October. There’s a thread here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I'm avoiding that thread until I get through MG.
I’ve read a cosy crime mystery The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (who, for the benefit of non-Brits, is mostly famous for presenting TV game shows but it turns out he can actually write too).Now I’m finishing off my spooky season with a collection of stories from my favourite contemporary horror writer Paul Tremblay - Growing Things and Other Stories.
Read the new Penric novella, Knot of Shadows and it's predictably good. On to Nothing But Blackened Teeth and/or The Atrocities
I’ve been reading all horror books in October too many to mention. My favorite was “I am not a Serial Killer”. I also loved A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
Most recently I've read Gloriana; or the revolution of 1900 by Florence Caroline DixieMore a near future (written in the 1890s) votes-for-women utopian vision, than strict Science Fiction.
I've also done a couple of similar steampunk novels
The Martian Ambassador by Alan K. Baker (1st of the Blackwood & Harrison series) and The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man by Mark Hodder (2nd of his Burton & Swinburne books). Both novels are set in similar periods of the 19th Century, one features Aliens and the other Alternate history. For me, the Burton & Swinburne series is definitely more worth following.
I also read American Notes For General Circulation by Charles Dickens. Not Science Fiction, of course. but his portrait of 1840s American politicians could be taken from the 2020s
Rick wrote: "Read the new Penric novella, Knot of Shadows and it's predictably good.What, there's a new one? I just read #10! (The Assassins of Thasalon I guess since Bujold doesn't do any publicity or anything, I just need to watch Sword and Laser for the next in the series. Can't wait to read it.
Getting back to the backlog...after the fantasy bingefest of "Assassin's Apprentice" series books I picked up The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky.I loved the take on evolution that opened the book and provided the interstitials. Found it quite delicious to dive deep into the science, especially after the long Fantasy trip. Was amused to see another fan say above they didn't like those. For me, the best part!
From there, some pretty solid mystery regarding Cryptids, alternate earths and missing persons. Great start.
After that, it descends a bit to the comic-book level. Fairly early in the book starts to feel like a DC comics crossover like "Crisis on Infinite Earths." Which is fine if you like comics, and I do, but the overly broad stuff belongs with capes and cowls. Eh, it was still good, I'm quibbling. Just not as great as the opener.
And then...well, pretty much every book over the novella length by Tchaikovsky has the overly demonstrative "Ally" bit. In this case it was a riff on how a right wing group was just itching to commit assault. Because, well, of course they were! It's social commentary with the subtlety of a baseball bat. It comes up at least every second chapter. Same thing occurred in Children of Time, where conservatives led to collapse of civilization. Altho, this isn't even near the top - that has to be Titan by Stephen Baxter, where the mere election of a Republican US President leads to the extinction of all life on Earth. Because, well, of course it would!
So the overly demonstrative "Look at me, I'm an Ally" bit shows up in every Tchaikovsky book. But it's like going to see the best opera singer in the region, and after every act he takes center stage to declaim half the population. You roll your eyes and enjoy the music.
If it's the price of admission I suppose I'll pay it. After this tiresome bit, Tchaikovsky goes on to weave together alternate universes with quantum theory in a way that is deliciously sublime. The last 100 pages were incredible. Usually I'm ready for the end for these lengthy tomes, but here I would gladly have read 100 more.
Mod
I don't find either scenario implausible. POTUS is one of 3 people in the world with the power to end life on earth as we know it.
and 2 of those leaders are to the far-left of politics. So it's not just the right.
I would hate to live in a world with a Trump-like (if not actual) POTUS with a more virulent pandemic and/or with China and Russia rattling their sabres more vigorously than they are now.
I know it's not just the conservatives, who are for the most part decent human beings. But there is a section of the conservatives (the far-right), worldwide, that have become anti-science and anti-LGBTQI.
Even this week there was a far-right US conservative commentator (Candace Owens) suggesting that the US may need to send troops to invade Australia to "free" us from our tyrannical leaders. All because we close state borders and impose restrictions to contain covid-19. Candace rightly got panned by aussies, who, mostly, support our politicians on their covid rules.
BTW for context, I am further to the left than most when it comes to politics, being a socialist. I don't even think of the US Democrats as being a left party. At best they are a Centrist party.
Tassie Dave wrote: "John (Taloni) wrote: "where conservatives led to collapse of civilization. Altho, this isn't even near the top - that has to be Titan by Stephen Baxter, where the mere election of a Republican US P..."Not sure right and left is useful in current world politics.
Authoritarianism vs Democracy seems to be the order of the day. In this Putin, Xie, Trump, Bolsanaro (and a bunch of others) sing from the same sheet.
To be fair in Children of Time the "bad guy" is a tech billionaire and the Government agents are actually helpful. Tchaikovsky is a UK based author and most of the Political violence is nationalist or religious and not of the "left" or for that matter the traditional "right". None of this maps easily;y onto US politics where (Democrats would be quite similar to the Tories with UKIP the closest thing to modern Republicans).
I enjoy the fact that Tchaikovsky goes all in on the science. Channelling Olaf Stapledon with an actual plot and character's added on.
Mod
Iain wrote: "Not sure right and left is useful in current world politics.
Authoritarianism vs Democracy seems to be the order of the day. In this Putin, Xie, Trump, Bolsanaro (and a bunch of others) sing from the same sheet."
Fair call. That is why I call the extremist of either side far-right or far-left. Most on the right and left (even politicians) are fair minded people who want the best for their respective countries.
Yeah labels are meaningless. Even here in Oz where our major right wing party is the Liberal Party ;-)
The Nationals (the minor member of our ruling coalition is the closest we have to the GOP. No party matches the Democrats. Maybe the moderates of the Labor Party.
Tassie Dave wrote: "I like it when sci-fi authors use real science and don't rely on pseudoscience which pushes it into fantasy. "The latest Alastair Reynolds...I've been good with ramjets and even the "conjoiner drives" which apparently use zero point energy plus a propellant. Similar concepts in House of Suns. But now he's got a "dark drive" that gets fully encased in an energy shield while immersed within a hostile environment yet is still able to thrust. Just call it warp drive Alastair, you've gone past the edge of hard SF here.
I read Comfort Me With Apples, a novella coming out from Catherynne M. Valente on November 9. The description makes it sound like feminist dystopia and that's not wrong but it's more grounded in mythological retellings... how and what is best left to the reader and that's literally all I can say.
Iain wrote: "Not sure right and left is useful in current world politics.Authoritarianism vs Democracy seems to be the order of the day...."
American politics right now reminds me a lot of politics in Germany in the 1930s as the Nazis rose to power. It is truly frightening.
Moving on from apocalyptic politics... I’m finishing off my October with the appropriately titled The October Man, a novella in the Rivers of London universe, set in Germany.
Finished up Ambush or Adore a little while back. Most readers think of this as a slow burn love story. I can't join them. For me this is primarily a tragedy.I have this issue with most of the Finishing School followups. What is funny when done as a sendup is sad when examined more closely. Taking for instance one student's statement that she can't wait to grow up and be a widow, with the strong suggestion that she'd kill her first husband. It's funny when a middle teen girl says it, less so when, in Poison or Protect, Preshea has actually had four husbands. Or the existence of a school for evil scientists. Hilarious in Finishing School, rather macabre elsewhere.
Agatha Woosmoss, the love interest, is rather more bound by Victorian sensibilities than we have seen in other Parasolverse books. Yes, Alexia had many issues, but she also had this brash Alpha werewolf crashing through barriers from the getgo. In order to obtain what she wants most from life, Agatha must give up just about everything else.
For that matter Lord Akeldama comes in for a harsh turn. His bright outward personality, and many behind the scenes espionage machinations, are in service to a Victorian empire that would toss him into the trash heap if he stopped being useful. It's a dark look at the underside of the Parasolverse. While other works dealt with the difficulties of Victorian life, it was with a lightheartedness and assurance of ultimate triumph. Here we see the seamy underbelly.
As for the underlying romance, (view spoiler)
While I couldn't take this book in the lighthearted way others did, I want to note there's a tidbit at the end of the book with implications for the entire Parasolverse. It's worth the price of admission by itself. I had mixed feelings about the book in general, but for this...*taps chest* definitely read it.
I finished the fifth Discworld novel
Sourcery by Terry Pratchett
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and I started reading the final installment in the Winternight trilogy started by The Bear and the Nightingale:
The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
Tis the season where all the cozy mystery writers (and some others...) release books with a Christmas/holiday theme. I've read about 3 or 4 lately and now have 1 more book to read (that really isn't holiday themed but normally releases in late Q3/early Q4 each year).Looking forward to joining the group for the November read, too. :)
What's a good cozy mystery? Is cozy the same thing as vibesy?
Tamahome wrote: "What's a good cozy mystery? Is cozy the same thing as vibesy?"The spiritual heirs of Agatha Christie.
Tamahome wrote: "What's a good cozy mystery? Is cozy the same thing as vibesy?"In my experience it almost always involves someone who likes to do something artsy and has a cat or a dog and solves murders in small towns that should not have as many murders as they seem to. I think the first one I read was a Magical Cats mystery by Sofie Kelly and that was a gateway drug to the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke. For me, they’re popcorn books/light and fluffy beach reads. It’s been a crappy year and I’ve liked simple light stuff. Icy complaint about the last Magical Cats book was that the cats weren’t featured enough. 😂
Thanks. I was looking more for cozy mystery recommendations. Becky Chambers is supposed to be vibesy science fiction.Wow Sofie Kelly’s A Night’s Tale audiobook is only 7 hours.
Tamahome wrote: "Thanks. I was looking more for cozy mystery recommendations. Becky Chambers is supposed to be vibesy science fiction.Wow Sofie Kelly’s A Night’s Tale audiobook is only 7 hours."
I recently read The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman which is a cosy mystery set at a retirement village, in which four septuagenarian armchair sleuths solve a real murder. It’s a cleverly constructed mystery with a great cast of characters.
Ruth wrote: "Tamahome wrote: "Thanks. I was looking more for cozy mystery recommendations. Becky Chambers is supposed to be vibesy science fiction.Wow Sofie Kelly’s A Night’s Tale audiobook is only 7 hours."
..."
Added to my list, thanks for the tip!
I wish there were more mysteries that didn’t involve murder. I have a hard time equating the notion of “cozy” with the violent ending of someone’s life. It devalues both life and our emotions regarding loss.The British in particular seem to specialize in cozy mysteries, but based on the British TV shows we get here in the US, a murder seems to occur every 5 minutes in England and in every other house. Brits seem particularly vulnerable if they know a vicar or live within walking distance of a launderette or either wear or are an anorak, whatever that is. It’s a wonder the English countryside isn’t entirely depopulated, putting all these cozy mystery solvers out of business.
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The Sword and Laser
Books mentioned in this topic
We (other topics)Titan (other topics)
The Thursday Murder Club (other topics)
The Bear and the Nightingale (other topics)
The Winter of the Witch (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Yevgeny Zamyatin (other topics)Richard Osman (other topics)
Joanne Fluke (other topics)
Sofie Kelly (other topics)
Terry Pratchett (other topics)
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I finished this too. I thought it was delightful.