What else are you reading - July 2023

[Rob, Roberator]

The year is halfway done, what are you reading to kick off the 2nd half?

[Trike]

Just finished part 1 of Michael J. Sullivan’s Age of Myth adapted by Graphic Audio, which gives books the deluxe treatment: full cast, music, and sound effects. All Graphic Audio productions are terrific, but this one is stellar. The book is good, too. 5 stars all around.

It’s on YouTube for free: https://youtu.be/ww1w9Q-6294

[Tamahome]

Oh, he has part 1 of The Starlight Archive on there too.

[Chris K.]

I finished Broken Light. Loved it. Now I'm reading this month's pick. After that will be the next Wild Cards book, Three Kings: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel.

[terpkristin]

I’ve started the next Sanderson surprise novel, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. Also starting on a book a friend’s sister wrote, A Study in Cyborgs.

After I finish one of those, I’ll start Planetfall.

[Geoff]

I finished City of Last Chances, continuing my failed attempt to read Adrian Tchaikovsky as fast as he can write them. It was really good! Though Children of Time is still my favorite of his.

Next up: The doorstopper A Day of Fallen Night, prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree.

[Trike]

Geoff wrote: "I finished City of Last Chances, continuing my failed attempt to read Adrian Tchaikovsky as fast as he can write them. It was really good! Though Children of Time is still my favorite of his ..."

I like CoT but I think my fave Tchaikovsky is the time travel novella One Day All This Will Be Yours. It’s dark and snarky and perfectly misanthropic.

[Trike]

Finished Embers of War by Gareth Powell, a really good Space Opera about the horrors of war told from multiple viewpoints.

[Tamahome]

I quickly went through Arliss Cutter #6, Breakneck. I skipped the russian mafia chapters though. There may be a Grumpy Man Rule™ against that. I think I'm becoming a single-pov guy. Grumpy Man recipes in the back—Grumpy's Dessert Beans and Ritz Cracker Fried Halibut.

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

"A man should stand when he shakes hands or when a woman comes into the room or leaves the table. Even more important, a man should stand up for someone who can’t stand up for themselves."

“Ends need to meet,” he’d often say. “They don’t need to overlap.”

[Ruth]

I’m currently reading a contemporary romance, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi. It’s fairly well written but it’s not really grabbing my attention. I don’t know if I’m just not in the mood for it or what. I’m going to persevere for now.

[Jon]

I finished an amazing SF space opera romantic suspense yesterday that I awarded my first five star rating of the year (for non-fantasy works). And I'm super pumped that it's the first of four books in the series.

Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig

I almost wished I hadn't read it so quickly after Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik, which I almost awarded five stars (4.8-4.9).

These are similar to last month's Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, but definitely not YA/New Adult and from my subjective POV, better for it.

I'm listening to The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield but it's not been keeping my attention. In fact, I'm nodding off to it as my bedtime story and having to rewind quite a bit in the mornings.

I'll snag a copy of this month's book this week and get started on Planetfall soon.

[Jon]

Trike wrote: "Just finished part 1 of Michael J. Sullivan’s Age of Myth adapted by Graphic Audio, which gives books the deluxe treatment: full cast, music, and sound effects. All Graphic Audio pr..."

I need to catch up on my MJS reading. I own all of his ebooks (through Kickstarters) and then promptly forget I have them in my library. Thanks for this reminder!

[Jon]

terpkristin wrote: "I’ve started the next Sanderson surprise novel, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter. Also starting on a book a friend’s sister wrote, A Study in Cyborgs.

After I finish ..."

Thanks for the reminder from yet another Kickstarter. I need to download that ebook.

[Jon]

Trike wrote: "Finished Embers of War by Gareth Powell, a really good Space Opera about the horrors of war told from multiple viewpoints."

I added this to my TBR. Sounds good.

[Tamahome]

It has a talking space ship. Not too long. 10 hours in audiobook time. Somewhat dark.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Trike wrote: "Just finished part 1 of Michael J. Sullivan’s Age of Myth adapted by Graphic Audio...It’s on YouTube for free: https://youtu.be/ww1w9Q-6294"

no longer available :(

[Stephen]

I have finished Outland the re-edited first book by Dennis E Taylor and started the sequel Earthside which was recently released. Literary Popcorn at its best. Fallen behind on a couple of novellas released by Mark Lawrence , Road Brothers, and The New World. A re-listen to BOM Planetfall and hopefully Krystle Matar's Legacy of Brick & Bone,

[Ruth]

Well, I decided to Lem You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. I’m not sure if it’s not the right book for me or if I’m just not in the right mindset for it, but either way, it simply wasn’t holding my attention.

I have now started Unraveller by Frances Hardinge, one of my favourite authors. I think we should read one of her books with the club at some point- her writing has a similar vibe to Nettle & Bone.

[John (Taloni)]

Finished Capture the Sun, the latest in the series by Jesse Mihalik starting with Hunt the Moon, a monthly read. It was...okay. Based on the previous two I expected a rollicking end to a trilogy with big space battles and intrigue. Instead I got another installment in what seems to be an ongoing series with no end in sight.

The romance was okay by today's standards. I've long since given up on any actual tension. It's all "He's totally sexy, but we can't be together because reasons." My first exposure to the genre was the gothic romances, and those had worldbuilding and intricate plots that could not be beat. I did appreciate we didn't have to do the whole "sexual tension but no actual sex" for the majority of the book like others; here it was more about commitment while the sex was happening on the regular.

Anyhoo, this book is probably intended more for straight up romance readers, with a scifi flavor. I'm looking for SF adventure with a side of romance. It was an okay insomnia read but didn't inspire me to read more. I'll probably skip the rest. Of which there appear to be at least two more set up.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

I loved it myself, but I was there for some romance with some sci fi on the side, so it delivered what I was looking for. I also appreciate the way sex is written in this series, with more focus on the feelings than the physical motions. Such a fun read, and, yeah, it falls into a formula I know the rest will follow, but I like that formula, so these are very much 'for me'.

Just started reading Yellowface by RF Kuang. Chapter 1 has made me hungry for pancakes, though it probably shouldn't have. Hating the protagonist right away, but I think we are meant to.

[Mer]

I want to read Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley but it's been so long since I read the first in the Checquey Files series so I'm rereadingThe Rook and then I'll dive right into Stiletto.

Can anyone tell me if the streaming series of The Rook is the same or close to the book? Trying to figure out if I go find it and pay for a month's subscription to watch it and just stick to the books.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

I liked the TV adaptation, but it is VERY different to the book. Also, I started Stiletto and bounced right off it. I don’t know if we meet familiar characters later on, but we didn’t right off the bat, or, at least, I didn’t recognise anyone. I listened to the audio for both though, and Stiletto had a different narrator who I didn’t really like, so that might have been a part of the reason for my lemming it.

[Mark]

Mer wrote: "I want to read Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley but it's been so long since I read the first in the Checquey Files series so I'm rereadingThe Rook and th..."

The three books in the Rook Files are all in the same universe, but don't feature the same characters. I like O'Malley's storytelling, but I read ebooks, not the audio versions. The TV adaptation of the Rook is visually fascinating and suspenseful. I think it's worth a watch if you get the opportunity. However, it's not quite the same story as the novel.

[AndrewP]

Coincidentally finished two SF mysteries last week. The book of the month and Alistair Reynolds's Elysium Fire, sequel to the previous BOM The Prefect. One was great, the other not so much but I'm not saying which :)

[Jon]

I finished listening to The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield. I wasn't completely wowed with it. I enjoyed it.

Decided to switch to some fun listening with A Blink of the Screen: Collected Shorter Fiction by Terry Pratchett. I'll alternate listening to humor with Aberration by Cathy McCrumb (which will probably not funny).

I'm slogging through Planetfall. I'm not a fan of organic or biological SF ... too icky or sticky or gooey. :)

[Trike]

Jon wrote: "I'm not a fan of organic or biological SF ... too icky or sticky or gooey. :)"

No xenomorphs serving up melty grilled cheese for you, eh?

[Silvana]

Currently reading Daniel Abraham's second Kithamar novel Blade of Dream. So far I am loving this more than the first one.

[John (Taloni)]

Read Wool, first of the Silo books, which I found surprisingly good. I had heard it was post-apocalyptic, violent with a lot of death. And that was true, but the overall story was worth it. Layers and layers of reveals and I really didn't expect the late-story one. (Not gonna specify, readers will know what I mean and non-readers shouldn't have it spoiled even by curious click on spoilertext.) Lots of bad people doing bad things and good people taking ineffective action, but also a few instances where it makes a difference. I'll read the other two.

[Rob, Roberator]

Silvana wrote: "Currently reading Daniel Abraham's second Kithamar novel Blade of Dream. So far I am loving this more than the first one."

That's good to hear. I liked the first book alright, but it's not as good as his Dagger & Coin series.

I need to pick that one up at some point this year

[Pumpkinstew]

I am close to finishing There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm. Careful how you pronounce that.

It's short and kind of experimental which I like. Has lots of wild ideas and challenges it's readers to keep up.
It started well but it is very bare bones in how it goes about telling it's story. Some of that is thematically deliberate but some of it is just about skipping to the action.
If you liked the way Mind MGMT kept laying a trail of breadcrumbs give it a go.

[Mer]

Thanks Mark & Ruth for the feedback on the Checquey Files books and the streaming series!

I like to know the next read/watch is not the same set of characters upfront. Cuts down on the confusion trying to catch up.

[Ruth]

Finished the audiobook of Old Man's War by John Scalzi. It was… fine? I enjoyed it but I struggled to see what all the fuss is about tbh. I suppose it’s just that I’ve read several other Scalzi books already so it doesn’t seem that unique.

My next audiobook is The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson.

[Trike]

Re-reading The White Dragon to get rid of the aftertaste of that other dragon book.

Paused on The Blood Trials because it’s too similar to that other dragon book.

Paused on The Archive Undying because it’s a hot mess, like spaghetti spilled on the floor.

Started Age of Iron because it was highly recommended and the preview was good. Grimdark, and so far no Fantasy elements.

[Chris K.]

Started the new Connie Willis book, The Road to Roswell.

[Tamahome]

78% in Jack Carr's thriller Only the Dead. I hear it has an AI character, introduced in the 5th book. It's got some politics.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished this story collection which includes the very first Swords & Sorcery story ever written


Kull: Exile of Atlantis by Robert E. Howard
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading the next installment in my Publication-Order reading of the Discworld books


Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

[Rick]

Ruth wrote: "My next audiobook is The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson.
..."
I have that in print - excellent translation. I'll be interested to hear about the audio.

Old Man's War was quite a fun book but remember that it came out in 2005 and really is a pretty impressive debut novel. It's not Great Literature but how much SFF is? I did like that (view spoiler)[the protagonist's class wasn't some golden, they all survived and got together at the end. They mostly died, often horribly. (hide spoiler)] That felt more realistic, if I can use that word about a book with green skinned soldiers.

[Tamahome]

I mostly like the beginning of Old Man's War. I'm a sucker for trippy new experiences like getting a new body (Altered Carbon). Also, it's a very fast and funny read.

[Trike]

I spent the whole afternoon assembling two new Billy bookcases from Ikea and discovered my pile of unread books is even bigger than I thought it was before once I restocked the shelves.

Uh-oh. 😳 Guess I should be reading all of that next.

[Chris]

A Day of Fallen Night - really enjoying. I had gotten the audiobook for The Priory of the Orange Tree a while back, but never got around to listening, so took out A Day of Fallen Night also as an audiobook with the intention of following it with The Priory... kind of wishing I had read the book instead (I do better with names with that visual component) - really loving this so far.

[Stephen]

I finished the The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O'Keefe a nice evil corporation tale set in space. A bit of romance mixed in along with a hidden alien force. Very readable . On to the final book in Anthony Ryan's Covenant of Steel series The Traitor.

[Cy]

Yesterday I downloaded John Buchanan's novel The Gap In the Curtain, published in 1932. It was cited in an article in The Economist as the "best investment book ever written," by Hugh Hendry. Sci-fi plus investing? Yes, please.

[John (Taloni)]

Huh, and me with a spot in my TBR as I wait for Rob Kroese's latest to become available on Amazon. Wanna sell me on that book a bit? Looks promising. Gutenberg Press, or did you get elsewhere?

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Trike wrote: "...my pile of unread books is even bigger than I thought it was..."

Same.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Cy wrote: "Yesterday I downloaded John Buchanan's novel The Gap In the Curtain, published in 1932. It was cited in an article in The Economist as the "best investment book ever written," by Hugh Hendry. Sci-f..."

Actually John Buchan. He also wrote The 39 Steps, which inspired the Hitchcock film.

[TRP]

Just finished Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
It is definitely in the Crime genre but has a Time-Travel edge.

After her son commits a crime, a woman finds herself living days in her past (travelling further and further back in time) while she tries to discover why he did it.

[John (Taloni)]

Have read the latest St. Mary's book (awesome, recovers from slow start well) and two Fred the Vampire Accountant books (solid silly fun) about which more later. Right now, looking at upcoming TBR and wondering:

Does Jasper Fforde ever get to the point? I read to the end of book 3 and he still left (view spoiler)[the husband in time-limbo. (hide spoiler)] I'd move on to book 4 if he finally got to that but at this point I'm so exasperated with the author that I'm not sure I want to continue. I'm also sick of him showing off how clever he is with things like (view spoiler)[Miss Haversham, Superhero (hide spoiler)] and the idea of lesser characters filling in for major ones either well or poorly. A little of that went a long way and two full books was enough.

Anyway, I'd put up with some silliness if he'd finally resolve that plot point. But if it's all ego all the time, then I'll move on. Anyone want to chime in?

[TRP]

John (Taloni) wrote: "Have read the latest St. Mary's book (awesome, recovers from slow start well) and two Fred the Vampire Accountant books (solid silly fun) about which more later. Right now, looking at upcoming TBR ..."

I've read 5 of the Thursday Nexts and it safe to say that plot points do get reesolved but there are always new complications.
Sometmes the complcations feel like sequel fodder.

[Silvana]

Finished with Blade of Dream. @Rob: I ended up giving it two stars. Pacing is glacial, almost nothing going on, and I don't like the romance plot. Not gonna continue with the last book.

Starting Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Female gladiators in prison. Cool prologue!

[Trike]

Silvana wrote: "Starting Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Female gladiators in prison. Cool prologue!"

I quite liked his short story collection Friday Black, which does a similar thing of taking real-world stuff and giving it a one-quarter twist into SFF to highlight its absurdity and/or wrongness. I do hope he avoids the plot of Rollerball for this one.

My review of Friday Black: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...