What Else Are You Reading in 2023? Showing 1,651-1,700 of 1,880

[Brett]

Hail Sagan!

[Marc]

well, just finished john varley - titan. not a bad book. varley i thought spent a little too much time with sex, kinda detracted from the story. it was written in 1979, and it kind of became important about 3/4 into the book but I don't think it meets the standards of today. it's about a small crew of space explorers checking out some oddness in a newly discovered moon orbiting around Saturn.

anyhoo, now reading it's sequel, wizard.

[Alexandra]

I've read several things for my other book clubs:

Went to Discworld again with Guards! Guards!. What a delight! It was a nice backstory for the later Watch books (some of which I happened to have read...). My review is here ;)

I've reread the Binti novellas, and had a great time. Nnedi Okorafor's imagination is amazing! The novellas held up pretty well on a reread, but I did take away a star from my rating of the first one.
My review of Binti
My review of Home
My review of The Night Masquerade

[Bobby]

Tyler wrote: "Econo - Attempting to read all Star Wars books in Chronological Order, over 300 I’m on the 2nd one 😂"

Nice. I think I have read 2 maybe. Doing them all sounds like a fun challenge.

[CBRetriever]

I have the Drizzt series yet to start and that runs to around 40 books

[Stephen]

Has anyone read any Michael Swanwick? And if so which book of his would you start with?

[Netanella]

Stephen, I've only read his free tor.com short stories, of which he has a nice selection. I've not tried any of his novels - yet.

[CBRetriever]

Stephen wrote: "Has anyone read any Michael Swanwick? And if so which book of his would you start with?"

I've read Vacuum Flowers and Bones of the Earth. Neither really impressed me

[Michelle]

Stephen wrote: "Has anyone read any Michael Swanwick? And if so which book of his would you start with?"

I read The Iron Dragon's Daughter, (fair), and The Dragons of Babel, (better). I read these two many years ago, and I have learned that I don't trust my younger self's ratings anymore. Back then I rated them 3 and 5 stars respectively. Who knows what I'd rate them now?

[Stephen]

Scalzi's blog, Whatever has a "Big Idea" about a new book about Swanwick - makes him sound so good I wanted to try something!

[Michelle]

Stephen wrote: "Scalzi's blog, Whatever has a "Big Idea" about a new book about Swanwick - makes him sound so good I wanted to try something!"

Go for it, Stephen! He might wind up being on your Favorites list.

[Stephen]

Michelle wrote: "Stephen wrote: "Scalzi's blog, Whatever has a "Big Idea" about a new book about Swanwick - makes him sound so good I wanted to try something!"

Go for it, Stephen! He might wind up being on your Fa..."

Yeah now I have to choose something. The way Amazon lays out an authors bibliography is so unhelpful.

[Rick]

Stephen wrote: "Yeah now I have to choose something. The way Amazon lays out an authors bibliography is so unhelpful.
..."

Why not try the new book he's talking about on Whatever since it sounded good to you?

[Alexis]

Hello! Currently reading the ACOTAR series. So far after finishing book one, thinking I’ll be a huge fan. Anyone read? What’s your thoughts?

[Stephen]

Rick wrote: "Stephen wrote: "Yeah now I have to choose something. The way Amazon lays out an authors bibliography is so unhelpful.
..."

Why not try the new book he's talking about on Whatever since it sounded ..."

That would be the sensible thing wouldn't it? Except it's a book about the author, called "Being Michael Swanwick". So I'd be reading about how marvelous he is, without having read a thing by him!

[Michelle]

Don't start with that one, then 😄

[Cheryl L]

Alexis wrote: "Hello! Currently reading the ACOTAR series. So far after finishing book one, thinking I’ll be a huge fan. Anyone read? What’s your thoughts?"

I'm on book 3 A Court of Wings and Ruin. So far, I've enjoyed A Court of Mist and Fury the most. I generally devour SJM's books, although I'm finding A Court of Mist and Fury a little more slowly paced than the first two. I'd love to know your thoughts on them!

[Rick]

Stephen wrote: "That would be the sensible thing wouldn't it? Except it's a book about the author, called "Being Michael Swanwick". So I'd be reading about how marvelous he is, without having read a thing by him!
..."
🤣 that's a good reason.

[Alexandra]

It's time for Murderbot!

I've just reread Network Effect, in preparation for System Collapse. It was a very good idea. Now I am about 30% into System Collapse, and I like it a lot so far.

[Economondos]

Finished The Curse of Chalion by Bujold. Excellent even after many rereads. On to the sequel, Paladin of Souls.

[Alexandra]

Economondos wrote: "Finished The Curse of Chalion by Bujold. Excellent even after many rereads. On to the sequel, Paladin of Souls."

These books are wonderful, I love them too :)

[Benji's Books]

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, All Quiet on the Western Front and I'll read a handful more by the time the year is done.

[Anna]

Murderbot Diaries (All Systems Red) >> discussion

World of the Five Gods (Curse of Chalion) >> discussion

[Cynda]

I am finishing up The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I read some of the series to my son long ago until somethung else caught his attention. So good memories. I like the story now that I am old enough to enjoy it 😎

[Jacqueline]

I bought System Collapse last week. Can’t wait to start it.

After a couple of days travelling on planes to Doctors appointments and being by myself in lonely apartments I finished Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year by Joanna Nell. Not SFF but a great read nonetheless. Joanna is a GP who was once a ships doctor and has worked in aged care and her books are basically what she knows and she does it so well. I finished that on Thursday night while sitting with nothing else to do. I had bought A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik that afternoon knowing that I wasn’t going to have anything to read at the airport or on the plane as I was nearly finished Mrs W. I started it while sitting at the airport for 6 hours waiting for a delayed flight in between wandering around and playing on my phone while sitting on the floor waiting for it to charge (reasonably well dressed grey haired old woman sitting on the really cold hard floor in a random corner near a power point) I’m halfway through that now. Enjoying it so far.

[Stephen]

Anna wrote: "Murderbot Diaries (All Systems Red) >> discussion

World of the Five Gods (Curse of Chalion) >> discussion"

I'm very late to the party, what is Murderbot?

[Alexandra]

Stephen wrote: "I'm very late to the party, what is Murderbot?"

If it's your cup of tea, you are in for a treat :)

Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells is a series about a cyborg who just wants to be left alone to watch soap operas. Unfortunately, adventures intervene all the time, and humans have to be rescued. Also, it has to learn how to handle emotions, relationships, and other difficulties. It's wonderful :)
https://www.goodreads.com/series/1919...

[Alexandra]

Jacqueline wrote: "I bought System Collapse last week. Can’t wait to start it.

After a couple of days travelling on planes to Doctors appointments and being by myself in lonely apartments I finished Mrs Winterbotto..."

I hope you'll enjoy System Collapse!
Deadly Education is excellent too, and the rest of the trilogy just gets better.

[Anna]

Did you once, many moons ago, hear about Mélusine by Sarah Monette, only to then discover it's out of print? Yeah, happened to me too, and I still have the series on my TBR.

I just learned (thanks to Tansy Rayner Roberts's newsletter), that's it's back in (ebook) print! Now published under her more successful pseudonym Katherine Addison: Mélusine.

[Jan]

Economondos wrote: "Finished The Curse of Chalion by Bujold. Excellent even after many rereads. On to the sequel, Paladin of Souls."

I read this years ago but remember liking it. It might be time for a reread.

I recently read American Witch by Thea Harrison. An entertaining light read, with a romance running through it. I know that's pleh for some, a plus for others. LOL. But I liked the concept of an 'ordinary' woman in her late thirties unexpectedly emerging as a powerful (good) witch.

Currently reading Holly, Stephen King's latest. I'm halfway through and enjoying the 'solve the mystery' aspect. The actual evildoers are completely creepy and gross, so I'm skimming through those bits. But I really want to see how Holly solves the case.

I couldn't finish King's last, Fairy Tale, which just got boring and repetitive for me. But this one is more engaging (if definitely more gross).

[Cheryl L]

Alexandra wrote: "Stephen wrote: "I'm very late to the party, what is Murderbot?"

If it's your cup of tea, you are in for a treat :)

It's wonderful :)"

I agree with Alexandra! I don't know about others but I felt an affinity for Murderbot. Not the murdering part, but the social awkwardness and need for solitude. Murderbot just seems so human to me.

[Jacqueline]

Yeah Alexandra there’s a good chance I’ll love System Collapse. I’m firmly in the “I love Murderbot” camp.

[Marc]

Love Murderbot!!!

Anyhoo, finished John Varley's Wizard, a true sequel to Titan. Now to finish the series, now reading Demon.

[Alexandra]

Jacqueline wrote: "Yeah Alexandra there’s a good chance I’ll love System Collapse. I’m firmly in the “I love Murderbot” camp."

I finished it now and loved it! :)))

[Stephen]

Alexandra wrote: "Stephen wrote: "I'm very late to the party, what is Murderbot?"

If it's your cup of tea, you are in for a treat :)

Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells is a series about a cyborg who just wants to b..."

OK looks like I just figured out how to spend my Amazon gift voucher

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

yay!! new murderbot friends!

[Stephen]

Allison wrote: "yay!! new murderbot friends!"

bought the first 2!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

high five!

[CBRetriever]

currently reading:

Northern Wrath by Thilde Kold Holdt which is rather gruesome - it's based on Norse myths

Ordermaster by L.E. Modesitt Jr. which is the 13th book in the Saga of RFecluce book (only 10 more to go at this time).

Silence by Mercedes Lackey which is part of her SERRAted Edge series - elves in the modern world interacting with regular people.

Stolen Lives by Jassy Mackenzie = mystery set in South Africa and part of a series.

finished:

The Narrow Road Between Desires by Patrick Rothfuss which was pretty good, but not quite up to the KingKiller series

[Brett]

Taking a second crack at Peter Hart's Bloody April, about the British air war during a large diversionary attack in aid of a French offensive in early 1917 (the events of the movie 1917 feature here, specifically the German strategic withdrawal). As usual, the book is exceptional for number and quality of firsthand accounts.

I also grabbed the Red Baron's autobiography (this is for a short story), but I haven't begun it yet.

[Alexandra]

Stephen wrote: "Allison wrote: "yay!! new murderbot friends!"

bought the first 2!"

Hurray! I hope you enjoy :)))

[Economondos]

Just finished up Bujold's Paladin of Souls. Rated it 4 stars and tried to write a short review. Maybe later I will get more creative on those.

Next up, the third in the series The Hallowed Hunt.

[Michelle]

Economondos wrote: "Just finished up Bujold's Paladin of Souls. Rated it 4 stars and tried to write a short review. Maybe later I will get more creative on those.

Next up, the third in the series The Hal..."

I love that book.

[Kaia]

I finished System Collapse over the weekend and loved it. My only regret is that I read it too fast, and now there is no more new Murderbot.

I am also four chapters in to The Curse of Chalion and really enjoying it so far. This is my first book by Lois McMaster Bujold.

[Cheryl L]

I finished up A Court of Wings and Ruin. I'll often use SJM as a palette cleanser or brain vacation after reading something more complex. I had finished Ancillary Justice right before and needed something a little less challenging before moving on to Ancillary Sword and The Dark Forest.

[Michelle]

Kaia wrote: "I finished System Collapse over the weekend and loved it. My only regret is that I read it too fast, and now there is no more new Murderbot.

I am also four chapters in to The Curse of Chalion and..."

I don't think Bujold could write garbage if she tried!

[Jan]

I finished Stephen King's Holly. Wasn't really sure how to rate it, as I hated the gross, gory sections and skimmed over them. But the suspense and the 'police procedural' type aspect was excellent. To be fair, I knew going in it was a horror story, so I can't really criticise it on that basis LOL. In the end I gave 3.5 to 4 stars. Well written, but yeah, creepy and gory as heck.

I've started a reread of Jack McDevitt''s classic Hutch series. Archaeology meets sci-fi/space adventure. Yes please. Currently reading #1, The Engines of God.

[Economondos]

Kaia
I hope you enjoy Bujold's fantasy and sci-fi offerings as much as I do.

[Kaia]

Economondos wrote: "Kaia
I hope you enjoy Bujold's fantasy and sci-fi offerings as much as I do."

Thanks, Economondos! I've been wanting to read something by her for a while now after reading all of the positive comments by group members.

[Colin]

Read a classic historical fiction (with a touch of fantasy): Witch Wood by John Buchan by John Buchan. This is the story of David Sempill, sent by the Kirk in 1644 to be minister in the town of Woodilee, and dealing with his relationships with the townsfolk (often stormy), his personal growth, the evolution of his religious beliefs, and his battle against dark dealings in the Wood outside town. The backdrop is the war between Montrose and the Covenanters and the setting is lavishly drawn. The characters are distinct and individual. The story itself feels real with multiple dark twists. Buchan based the story on the research he did for his biography of Montrose (nearly a century later, still the best work on Montrose!) and it all rings true. One cautionary note: the dialog is written the way the Scots would have spoken it with the occasional English translation (in parenthesis) of a word that would never be guessed. It takes a little while to get used to it. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction.