What Else Are You Reading in 2023? Showing 1,451-1,500 of 1,880

[M.L.]

I'm reading The Running Grave (Cormoran Strike #7), Robert Galbraith. It's about cults and mind control. Good book. She's the author whose books I look forward to the most.

[Alice]

I'm reading the original Chinese version of Water Margin 水滸傳（上下冊）, which is one of the Four Great Chinese Classic Novels, and widely considered as the precursor of modern-day wuxia fiction. Wuxia fiction is a specific Chinese fantasy genre that dates back a long time and is focused on martial arts, heroism and vigilantism set in ancient China.

For anyone who's interested in wuxia/xianxia fiction, here's a list of my votes on the GR Wuxia/Xianxia List:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/user_v...

[Becky]

I finished Lovecraft Country last night, and moved on to Hidden Pictures. I am listening to the audio, but I am not sure I will enjoy the reader for this one - hopefully there's not too many men in this story because her male voice is very much not it. I do also have the ebook version, just in case.

[Ozsaur]

Brett, Between Two Fires is so weird and surreal, a great pick for Halloween.

[Tyler]

Just read Mistborn, anyone else get kind of a Holocaust vibe from it with the Tyrant that liked to think himself a god, and the oppressed beat down society?

[Stephen]

Has anyone read Ascension?
Wow

[Banshee]

M.L. wrote: "I'm reading The Running Grave (Cormoran Strike #7), Robert Galbraith. It's about cults and mind control. Good book. She's the author whose books I look forward to the most."

I keep wanting to start the Cormoran Strike series! The Cuckoo's Calling is definitely on my shortlist. The genre is not my favourite but I expect only the best from such a talented author.

[Jan]

I'm looking at Neal Asher's Polity books/series. Would anyone like to suggest a good starting point? Or can they easily be read as standalones and I can simply try one out?

[Rick]

Jan wrote: "I'm looking at Neal Asher's Polity books/series. Would anyone like to suggest a good starting point? Or can they easily be read as standalones and I can simply try one out?"

So, Asher's Polity books have several sub-series that are 3 to 5 books long and a few standalone books that are related to the rest but aren't part of any sub-series.

The Agent Cormac sub-series is where I'd start (Gridlinked is the first). The events in Prador Moon and Shadow of the Scorpion occur before that book and both are standalones. After the last Cormac book, Line War, you have The Technician which is good.

Then we get into books that are a little... controversial. Asher lost his wife and took a fairly long break and the books after that are much more involved in the technologies of the time and feature more about the weapons and the violence they do. I think the Transformation trilogy is worth reading (Dark Intelligence being the first of that series) but if you don't care for it, don't go on.

The Spatterjay books are set in the Polity but are kind of their own thing

[Tamara]

I'm reading through Patricia McKillip's Wonders of the Invisible World short-story collection, and thoroughly enjoying it. She creates magical stories, and even though I don't like short stories, I'm liking these. (I always want to know more, for the stories to go on longer. Short isn't enough for me).

I picked up Lost in Time yesterday at the library, as it was on display; no idea, really, whether I'll like it, but it sounds intriguing, with ingredients which should make for a good tale. We'll see. Has anyone read this?

[Tamara]

Navigator wrote: "I'm at my +100500 attempt to read Pride and Prejudice. "

A very late reply, but if you see this comment, I think the key to appreciating Pride and Prejudice is (a) understanding the context, and allowing the story to exist within it, and (b) noticing the delightful social commentary that Jane Austen provides, along with her trademark wittiness and ironic humour.

As is often quoted, she knew that she wrote about a very small section of life and society (a "little sliver", or something like that...), but she did it insightfully and rewardingly.

Perhaps that helps, or perhaps you already know this 🙂

[Michelle]

I love Patricia McKillip's work. Every now and again I re-read her books.

[Jenifer]

This year has been hard for me on reading....not sure why, but I'm still working on The Well of Ascension from the Mistborn series by Sanderson.

[Marc]

Finished the sequel to Lovecraft Country (Matt Ruff), Destroyer of Worlds. I really enjoyed it, but it feels like there's gonna be a book 3. Dunno though!

Anyway, a slight change in book genres, now reading Guillermo del Toro's At Home with Monsters, which covers his films, notebooks, and collections. seems like it will be a quick read!

[Jan]

Rick wrote: "Jan wrote: "I'm looking at Neal Asher's Polity books/series. Would anyone like to suggest a good starting point? Or can they easily be read as standalones and I can simply try one out?"

So, Asher'..."

Thank you for the detailed answer, Rick. I might start with Gridlinked and see how things go.

[Faith]

My review of The Sky Vault by Benjamin Percy

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

[Rick]

Jan wrote: "Thank you for the detailed answer, Rick. I might start with Gridlinked and see how things go.
?..."

That's where I started and, to me, the Cormac books are the heart of the series. The books are best when there's a character we can relate to at the center of things and Ian Cormac fills that role well. There are other characters here and there that do the same thing but not for as much of the story.

[Marc]

well, that was quick! finished At home with Monsters, wished I attended the exhibit on which this book was about.

Now, on to Carrion Comfort, by Dan Simmons

[Panda]

I just finished Thistlefoot, which I highly recommend this vibrant fantasy, folklore story.

As I was looking for my next read, while waiting for another book to come in, I saw Slayers: A Buffyverse Story dropped with a reading by a full cast of some of the original characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home TV series. I started a review, before reading, with a list of the narrator cast, linking to either goodreads, wikipedia or imd, for easy clickable access.

[Brett]

Thistlefoot is a lot of fun. First time I ever crushed on a literary character (Winifred).

Between Two Fires was something else. Good and surreal, as has been said. Starting T. Kingfisher's The Twisted Ones, and Jason Stanley's How Propaganda Works.

[Economondos]

Based on GoodReads recommendations, just finished Demon Moon and Legends & Lattes this week. Like both of them, L&L more than DM.

[Alexandra]

I read The Atrocity Archives for my book club. The premise was interesting - I liked the humour and the scary cosmic horror. Unfortunately, I did not like quite a few other things - I had trouble with the technobabble and some of the narrative choices.

My review is here ;)

[Woman Reading]

On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

I've been on a long Ilona Andrews reading spell. I've
had to dig deep into their bookshelves to find more books. This is the beginning of The Edge series, and it had been published around the same time as their first Kate Daniels novel.

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

[Panda]

Brett wrote: "Thistlefoot is a lot of fun. First time I ever crushed on a literary character (Winifred).

Yas! Wini is such a fantastic, great and special character! I really love her too, for so many reasons!

[Stephen]

What's the plot?

[Michelle]

I'm almost halfway into book two of Rachel Neumeier's Invictus duology Crisis. And @Stephen, don't ask about the plot because it's too complex :) Very good, though!

[Jan]

Michelle wrote: "I'm almost halfway into book two of Rachel Neumeier's Invictus duology Crisis. And @Stephen, don't ask about the plot because it's too complex :) Very good, though!"

I will be starting Invictus #2 soon as well. I enjoyed #1 :)

[Woman Reading]

Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews

This is the second in The Edge series, and I liked this more than it's predecessor. It's not necessary to read the debut novel before this one.

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

[Woman Reading]

Fate's Edge by Ilona Andrews

This doesn't feel like a pure urban fantasy, but more like a crime caper overlaid with some fantasy elements.

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

[Tyler]

I’ve never heard of Invictus, what’s it about?

I just starting The Expanse book 3, and bought Harry Potter Book 7 (when I read it, that will be 1 series done)

[Michelle]

Tyler wrote: "I’ve never heard of Invictus, what’s it about? "

Military sci-fi. Spies, espionage, different factions, scheming, ...

[Brett]

Picking up Don't Fear the Reaper, sequel to My Heart Is A Chainsaw.

[Michelle]

Blue Oyster Cult will be in my head for the rest of the day now.

[Becky]

Michelle wrote: "Blue Oyster Cult will be in my head for the rest of the day now."

As it should be! 💀

[Omar]

The "Red Rising" Saga

[Stephen]

Becky wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Blue Oyster Cult will be in my head for the rest of the day now."

As it should be! 💀"

Make sure there is enough cow bell!

[Becky]

You can never have enough cowbell.

[Brett]

@Michelle - there are worse things.

[Michelle]

Brett wrote: "@Michelle - there are worse things."

There certainly are!!

[Michelle]

I finished Invictus: Crisis, and it was very good. I loved the ending.

Switching back to historical fiction now with The Captain's Nephew. This is a series about the Napoleonic Wars by a new-to-me author. It's from the seafaring side of things.

[Colin]

I don't often read short stories, but I found Nordic Visions: The Best of Nordic Speculative Fiction by Margret Helgadottir to be very interesting. This is a collection of speculative fiction from across Scandinavia, some of it translated into English for the purpose of the anthology. Even the Faroe Islands have an author represented. The stories draw on Nordic settings and themes, one pulling from the Kalavela. Most would be categorized as fantasy or science fantasy. Very much worth reading!

[Anna]

(Kalevala)

I have that on my TBR, mostly because I always want to find more non-Finnish Nordic SFF authors, but it *just* came out so I haven't even had time to think about where to find it! :D

I think the Kalevala story is the one about Louhi by Emmi Itäranta? If yes, I've read that one in another anthology. That one is the women of Kalevala given a POV for the first time, written by women and non-binary authors, and so far only available in Finnish. (Tinarinnat : Kalevalan naisten uudet tarinat)

[Colin]

Yes, that is the one: The Wings That Slice the Sky.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

oo that looks fun to me, adding

[Alexandra]

All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me is a lovely memoir. Contemplative, humane, kind-hearted. I cannot recommend it highly enough :)

My review is here ;)

[Jan]

Michelle wrote: "I finished Invictus: Crisis, and it was very good. I loved the ending."

Oh goody. Glad you liked it. That's up next for me. I just finished Elysium Fire. An enjoyable, 4 star read. So, now onto Invictus: Crisis. Will have to leave Al Reynolds' Glitter Band and change gears to get back into the zone of the Invictus world :)

[HeyT]

Finished Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen and liked it more than I thought I would. I only picked it up for a work thing but it was an interesting look at grief, found family, and identity.

[nour]

I'm working my way through Kushiel's legacy series. Currently reading Kushiel's Chosen. I didn't expect myself to like it or even start it, but it's so immersive and the politicking that occurs around the protagonist is so good. I'm also enjoying the romance sub-plot. However, I do have some problems with the series and how some conflicts were resolved but the good stuff kinda overweighed.

[Faith]

My review of Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead by K.J. Parker

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

[Dj]

Marc wrote: "Finished the sequel to Lovecraft Country (Matt Ruff), Destroyer of Worlds. I really enjoyed it, but it feels like there's gonna be a book 3. Dunno though!

Anyway, a slight change in book genres, n..."

Was it a cliff hanger or just the possibility in the ending?