What else are you reading - December 2023

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished the "Pastoral Science Fiction" novel which won the 1964 Hugo Award for Best Novel


Way Station by Clifford D. Simak
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading Roger Zelazny's first novel, originally titled "...And Call Me Conrad"


This Immortal by Roger Zelazny

[Chris K.]

I finished Marvel Studios: The Marvel Cinematic Universe - An Official Timeline. It's very thorough.

I started Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare. I've read most of the books in her Shadowhunter series and enjoyed them. This is the start of a new adult fantasy series.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished the second installment in Asimov's Robots series


The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading the middle book in the Xenogenesis series


Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I also finished another classic Science Fiction novel, the 1969 Hugo Award winner:


Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[John (Taloni)]

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "I finished the second installment in Asimov's Robots series"

I was going to say, "isn't that the first one" but then I guess I, Robot is the first Robot book and Caves of Steel is the first novel. Also the first featuring R. Daneel Olivaw.

I'm curious what you will think of Naked Sun. I love that book beyond reason. As for the remaining ones, despite accolades and awards I find them silly add ons. For me "real" Asimov ended with his brilliant, subtle tie-up in End of Eternity. That publishers later pulled up a dump truck of money and he indulged them does not make the books great.

[Ruth]

Just started reading what will probably be my last book of the year, Weyward by Emilia Hart.

[Stephen]

I finished the The Last Kingdom as 2024 will be the year I read a lot of Bernard Cornwell.

[Ruth]

Ruth wrote: "Just started reading what will probably be my last book of the year, Weyward by Emilia Hart."

I think I might put Weyward down, just two days after starting it , at least for now. The style and themes feel too similar to the book of Gothic stories I just read, and it doesn’t help that there’s an abusive husband who has the same name as my real-life husband.

[Ted]

Stephan: I read The Last Kingdom, several years ago, and 4-5 of the subsequent books. I'm currently watching the series on Netflix and I'm half-way through Season 2.
A friend of mine introduced me to Bernard Cornwell with Sharpe's Eagle.

[Phil]

Just finished Lovecraft's Monsters edited by Ellen Datlow. This is a collection of short stories by different authors all based on monsters found in H. P. Lovecraft stories. I'm not a huge horror fan and have never read any Lovecraft but I am familiar with his mythos from games and other pop-culture. I found these stories generally O.K. but nothing really outstanding.
The only authors I knew here were Neil Gaiman and Elizabeth Bear.
Next up is The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson.

[Ruth]

I have officially DNF’ed Weyward and moved on to a chonker of a history book: The Earth Transformed: An Untold History by Peter Frankopan.

[Stephen]

I am reading the BOM The Shining Girls and listening to The Pale Horseman.

[Steve]

I just finished reading Kings of Heaven which is the excellent conclusion to the tour de force that is the Ash & Sand trilogy. Now moving onto The Shining Girls…

[Oaken]

Phil wrote: "Just finished Lovecraft's Monsters edited by Ellen Datlow...The only authors I knew here were Neil Gaiman..."

Was that "A Study in Emerald", the Sherlock Holmes pastiche? Or something different? I loved that story.

[Phil]

Oaken wrote: "Phil wrote: "Just finished Lovecraft's Monsters edited by Ellen Datlow...The only authors I knew here were Neil Gaiman..."

Was that "A Study in Emerald", the Sherlock Holmes pastic..."

No, it was a different story by Gaiman. No Holmes allusions although if I'm remembering the right story it may have involved a modern day detective.

[Calvey]

Ruth wrote: "I have officially DNF’ed Weyward and moved on to a chonker of a history book: The Earth Transformed: An Untold History by Peter Frankopan."

My eyes are not working this morning I thought it was by Peter Frampton - and I was like hmmmm, is that right?

[Tamahome]

Do you feel like I do? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7rFY... [not lip synced, stay for the voice box at 5:50, hmm I think that's a 4 letter word]

[Trike]

Bizarrely, two of my neighbors when I lived in Cincinnati were Peter Frampton and Dr. Heimlich. Never saw either of them in the 7+ years I lived there, but there they were. So random.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

Tamahome wrote: "hmm I think that's a 4 letter word]"

5 letter word 😉

"I want to Thank you"

[Tamahome]

Oh I stand corrected.

[terpkristin]

I finished Kings of the Wyld and started Iron Flame. I'm also reading The Olympian Affair but am only reading that with my eyes (the narrator didn't work for me). So far it's too much political stuff. I live near DC, I've had that in my life for literally all my life. I'm kind of ready to not to be dealing with political intrigue hahaha.

[Chris K.]

I'm listening to the Chronicles of Narnia (in the original publication order). Each book is narrated by a different British actor:

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe--Michael York
Prince Caspian--Lynn Redgrave
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader--Derek Jacobi
The Silver Chair--Jeremy Northam
The Horse and His Boy--Alex Jennings
The Magician's Nephew--Kenneth Branagh
The Last Battle--Patrick Stewart

I've finished Lion and am about half done with Prince Caspian. Both narrators are great.

[Geoff]

Chris K. wrote: "I'm listening to the Chronicles of Narnia (in the original publication order). Each book is narrated by a different British actor:

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe--Michael York
Prince Caspian..."

That's a pretty sharp list of narrators! I guess publication order is the right way, but I'd be tempted to do chronological.

[Mark]

Almost done with a complete re-listen of the Murderbot Diaries. Fun stuff! (the single narrator audiobooks, thinking about another round with the dramatized versions)

[Stephen]

I finished The Shining Girls and has moved on to another SPFBO 9 finalist The Last Fang of God, so far, so good.

[Ruth]

Started a new book right at the tail end of the year: a non-fiction book about flags by Tim Marshall.

[John (Nevets)]

Ruth wrote: "Started a new book right at the tail end of the year: a non-fiction book about flags by Tim Marshall."

Sheldon Cooper would be proud. ;-)

[Mark]

🇧🇷🇨🇦🇬🇧🇺🇸🇮🇹🇫🇮

[Phil]

Just finished The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson.
I loved it! It was right up my alley. Lot's of humor, likable main character, science fiction dressed as fantasy.
I haven't read a lot of Sanderson but this felt more like Christopher Moore than what I was expecting. I would recommend this to all my friends.
Next up is Magician: Apprentice by Raymond Feist.

[terpkristin]

Phil wrote: "Next up is Magician: Apprentice by Raymond Feist."

I hope you're ready to read Magician: Master right afterward. When I suggested this for the group, I completely forgot that it ended on a cliffhanger. I felt so bad that I did that.

[Phil]

terpkristin wrote: "Phil wrote: "Next up is Magician: Apprentice by Raymond Feist."

I hope you're ready to read Magician: Master right afterward. When I suggested this for the group, I completely forgot that it ended..."

It should be alright either way. I sometimes take decades between books in a series. Thanks for the heads up though.

[terpkristin]

The two books were originally one book, I think, but eventually split for publication sake in the US.

[Trike]

Ruth wrote: "Started a new book right at the tail end of the year: a non-fiction book about flags by Tim Marshall."

I highly recommend Roman Mars’ TED talk about flags. He has the design podcast 99% Invisible.
https://youtu.be/pnv5iKB2hl4?si=KofY8...

Also, SFF flags:
https://youtu.be/h29PPoaMktA?si=mTJch...
https://youtu.be/UQcrOtT3r2U?si=W--kt...

[terpkristin]

I second the TED talk and 99% invisible in general. Sooo good.

[Trike]

I’ve read a dozen or so books in the last 2 weeks. Some good, some bad.

5 star book for my final read of the year is Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree. Loved it.

4 stars:
Lone Women by Victor Lavalle. You don’t find much supernatural horror set in 1915 Montana, but it works.

Rika Outcast and prequel novella Rika Mechanized by M.D. Cooper. MilSF that’s a cut above the rest. Part of the massive, multi-author Aeon 14 universe.

Avatar The Last Airbender: The Art of the Animated Series by Michael DiMartino. Terrific look at the creation of the TV series.

3 stars:
Entanglement by Gerald Kilby. Essentially The Expanse Lite, but it’s so earnest I can’t fault it.

Lyssa's Dream by James S. Aaron and M.D. Cooper. Another entry in the Aeon 14 universe.