What Else are you Reading - 2025

[Stephen]

Finished Once Was Willem and M.R. Carey delivered again another great read. Started Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland 2nd book in the series.

[Gary]

I finished reading Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks. It’s a great book. The ending got me. I plan to read the rest of his The Culture series in the next few years. I am reading When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi. The moon turns to cheese and Hijinx ensues. It’s as crazy and interesting as it sounds. I plan to read The Waste Lands (Book three of the Dark Tower Series) by Stephen King next.

[Trike]

Read Twelve Kings in Sharakhai. Very long, not worth the slog for me. YMMV

Listened to Earthlight. Short Tom Clancy knock-off. Also not worth it. YMwillnotV

[Scott]

I read When the Moon Hits Your Eye, the latest from John Scalzi, this afternoon. It's a wide-ranging collection of stories about all sorts of different people and how they react when the moon turns into cheese. When an object with the mass of the moon is replaced by an organic matrix that has consequences. But the point of the novel isn't really the moon. It's an exploration of what it means to be a human being, especially in the face of extreme events.

Some of those stories are comically absurd because there aren't many creatures more absurd than humans. Some of the stories are pretty ugly or take ugly turns because we have that in us as well. But the stories also explore the many different ways our lives touch other lives and how joyful, sad, and ultimately beautiful that is.

I can say that for this reader, at least, tears were definitely shed.

[Seth]

Tamahome wrote: "I'm reading a book with an alien culture and language. "

You jest a bit, but there's a reason there's about four people working their way through Patrick O'Brian. If you're into world building, reading historical fiction, or fiction written by historical authors, is often just as gratifying as stuff like sci-fi and fantasy.

Plus, Jane Austen is just good anyway.

[Ruth]

I gave up on Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao about a third of the way through. I was looking forward to this sequel to Iron Widow but it’s just really bogged down in people having tumblr-level political debates.

[Ruth]

I’m now starting Slow Horses by Mick Herron. I enjoyed the tv show so I thought I’d check out the book series it’s based on.

[Chris K.]

I've started the latest Wild Cards novel, House Rules : A Novel in Stories.

I had to give up on Engines of Empire. It's a pale imitation of A Game of Thrones.

[Winterfella]

Ruth wrote: "I’m now starting Slow Horses by Mick Herron. I enjoyed the tv show so I thought I’d check out the book series it’s based on."

I like the books more than the show. And I LOVE the show! Currently reading book 6, Joe Country.

[Ruth]

I'm also continuing my Big Discworld Read: I'm now on Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
I think I've read it before but I can't remember anything about it, so I'm looking forward to getting stuck in.

[Seth]

Listened to The Art of Prophecy after it did pretty well in the tournament. My feelings were decidedly mixed. The alt-China setting was neat, the martial arts and steam-punk Mongols were neat. But despite being huge and long it really felt like the first book in a series, or even the first half of a first book in a series. It was all set-up and no resolution.

[Trike]

Seth wrote: "Listened to The Art of Prophecy after it did pretty well in the tournament. My feelings were decidedly mixed. The alt-China setting was neat, the martial arts and steam-punk Mongols..."

Yeah, it was 2 stars from me. Despite the almost-interesting setting, it came across as generic and bland to me. I recall it feeling like there were no consequences and that it was like The Blade Itself, basically a 500-page first chapter.

[Chris K.]

I finished the latest Wild Cards novel, House Rules : A Novel in Stories. I gave it 4.5 stars. I hope we see Jago in future novels.

I've started Direct Descendant. So far it's fun. It's described as a queer, cozy horror and it's living up to that.

I've also started the second Dungeon Crawler Carl novel, Carl's Doomsday Scenario. More of the same which is fine by me.

[Stephen]

Started The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence. Been looking forward to this one. This year will be the year I try to finish series I have read the first book in the series but never got to book 2. First up, Michael R. Fletcher's The Obsidian Path Series. Got all three books in the series with 1 audible credit which was a deal.

[Phil]

Finished Scatterbrain by Larry Niven. It's a collection of samples of his writing from previous to 2003, when this was published. It includes chapters from novels, short stories, essays and correspondence with collaborators. I skipped the bits I had read before and the rest was hit and miss. Some of the non-fiction was just rambling but the stories were mostly good. 3 stars.

Next is The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.

[Chris K.]

I finished Direct Descendant. 3.5 stars. Very enjoyable. I got definite Buffy vibes.

[Chris K.]

I finished Carl's Doomsday Scenario, the second DCC book. More of the same crazy fun. But I'm also curious (view spoiler)[if the hints of bigger goings on in the wider universe get paid off in future novels. (hide spoiler)]

Next up is A Sorceress Comes to Call. One of the five Hugo finalists for best novel I haven't read. I'm going to try to read them all by August.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

From Chris K's spoiler question. (view spoiler)[I can't remember what was hinted at in Book2 (I have read the first 5 books).

But what is going on in the wider universe is featured in the books I've read and are major plot points in the Carl and Donut world and are forecast to continue to be important to future books. (hide spoiler)]

[Chris K.]

I finished A Sorceress Comes to Call. I liked it quite a bit (4 stars). (view spoiler)[I thought it was going to end much darker than it did. I thought Hester and Richard might be killed. I'm glad it had a happy ending. (hide spoiler)]

Now I've started The Tainted Cup.

[Jonathan]

I have just finished the Disquiet Gods. It is the most recent book published in Christopher Ruocchio's "Sun Eater Series". I have really enjoyed this series.

[Chris K.]

I finished The Tainted Cup. 4.5 stars. Great characters and world building. I will be reading book 2. I didn't care for City of Stairs so I'm glad I gave Bennett another chance.

[Ruth]

This week I’ve started two new books -
On audio The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman (book 4 of Dungeon Crawler Carl)

And in hardcover, A Choir of Lies by Alexandra Rowland which is interesting so far — it’s got the idea of someone writing a text and someone else annotating it. It’s set in fantasy-Amsterdam.

[Martin]

Onyx Storm Oh dear.

I probably shouldn’t leave a review, I’m not at all the target demographic. While I am a fan of clitoris flicking (I consider myself an amateur enthusiast), the constant self imposed drama and angst that never actually serves any purpose really started to grate. Coupled with an odd interlude when they visited some 1 dimensional societies and then jumped around the POV at the end just made me happy it was over. I doubt I’ll see this series through.

[Tamahome]

I got through 10% of Against the Day, so I'm proud of myself. Some parts of it are pretty fanciful. For example, there are airships, and a very literate dog. There's a short passage with a ball lightning that talks.

[terpkristin]

I finished The Martian Contingency the other day. I really love the Lady Astronaut series, though this was probably the most chill entry in the series. Still, dealt with some TOUGH topics (probably should be a couple of trigger warnings for it) and it moved a little more slowly than previous books.

I've started The Spellshop which is cute though I suspect I know where the story will go and how it'll get there. My hold also came in on libby for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which I read the first 100 pages very quickly because that book just starts crazy and keeps going.

[Martin]

Chris K. wrote: "I finished The Tainted Cup. 4.5 stars. Great characters and world building. I will be reading book 2.

Couldn't agree more.

[Seth]

I read Moon of the Crusted Snow which I've been meaning to get to for a long time. It's an end of the world tale told from a reservation in northern Canada. Neat interplay of modern and traditional technology, and white and first nation culture, with a creepy sense of dread over the whole thing. Sometimes I felt like the dialogue and characters were a little lifeless, but the pace, plot and concept made it worth the read.

[John (Taloni)]

Read At Amberleaf Fair from, I think, a recommendation here. Anyway I didn't like it...or hate it...the book got little reaction from me at all. The biggest plot point is whether or not a toy got stolen. Er. There's loads of fantasy-style characterization and small interpersonal situations which I guess is good for its target audience. Which does not seem to be me.

Perhaps the most fun part for me was free associating on how this world came to exist. It's all well off late-medieval, underpopulated future earth with people falling into major categories of maker, bard, adventurer, cook, healer, your basic D&D stuff. It felt a lot like Jack Vance's Dying Earth books except it's more like exuberant Earth. So I decided these were the slackers left behind when Earth went to the stars. Like, "oops, the ships left TUESDAY?" And the people who went left behind some cool nanotech so the stay-behinds would be okay.

[terpkristin]

I'm still currently listening to The Spellshop. I also have it in print. I'm enjoying it but it feels very Mary Sue.

I snagged The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes from my library (see above) so reading that with my eyes. Made a lot of progress last weekend and was enjoying it, then this week happened and I've had no time to go back to it. Hopefully tonight or this weekend I'll get back.

[Chris K.]

I'v started The Raven Scholar. I'm only 50 pages in and loving it. It's an epic fantasy.

[Chris K.]

terpkristin wrote: "I'm still currently listening to The Spellshop. I also have it in print. I'm enjoying it but it feels very Mary Sue.

I snagged The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes f..."

I thought Spellshop was a pleasant cosy fantasy but I see what you mean about the Mary Sue-ishness.

Ballad: (view spoiler)[I was impressed at how Collins made Snow somewhat sympathetic. (hide spoiler)]

[John (Taloni)]

Have meant to read Poul Anderson's "The High Crusade" for years and never quite got around to it. Anyhoo, some tweeps were chatting about it so I finally checked libraries. LAPL had it in a collection of four books. Well, why not. I could read (or not) the others as I saw fit.

So, the intro went on and on (and ON and ON) about how SF was okay, but wasn't it great how some authors tried to steer it into literary forms? Er. NO! SF is what it is and if a story naturally fits into a more lit'rary format then that's fine. Trying to force it some other way leads to tortured stuff that people read to feel "edified" but isn't fun. I remember reading some of the books referenced in the intro and, at the time, wondering what the heck they were about.

But as for High Crusade, it's a joy start to finish. Among his many works Anderson had several that included a historical flourish. Whether nominally SF or nominally Fantasy, they touched on the ancient world, often visiting the Scandinavian part of the world his family came from. He always brought a historical accuracy to these works.

High Crusade begins, well, with an incipient crusade. Troops gather in an English village prepared to go to the Holy Land. An invading alien craft lands to take over Earth in much the way these aliens have done to other planets. But, they've gotten lazy about it and, well, shenanigans! The whole village winds up in the ship and, of course, they get lost.

Many silly events follow that show how some medieval warriors could take on a technological society and defeat them. Why not, Star Wars did the same two decades later.

The story is told from the POV of the village pastor and includes his attempts to keep the crusade holy. Many amusing bits of "how would an 11th century Englishman see a technological society" follow.

The collection is built on more ponderous works, and this book both fits and doesn't. There is a high level of historical accuracy in The High Crusade, as you'd expect from Anderson. But it's done with a gleeful joy of presentation. The historical accuracy is "kidding on the square" on the absurd premise.

[John (Taloni)]

Aaand the other three books in the collection:
* "Way Station" Clifford Simak
* "Flowers for Algernon" Daniel Keyes
* ". . . And Call Me Conrad" Roger Zelazny

Of these, I'd read "Way Station" a few years back and didn't reread. That one follows a former Confederate soldier manning a, well, way station for interstellar travelers. His position has made him nominally immortal which his small-town neighbors politely ignore. The Simak I've read has been modestly off-putting in its nihilism. Some big ideas made it worth reading for me, but nowhere near the praise the, well, I suppose I'll coin a phrase: "Litforcers," trying to make everything fit English-prof standards and looking down on genre works that don't fit. Reading the intro of the Anthology I get the impression that Simak, writing small-town Midwest works, represented the "outsider art" of the era. Eh. Okay.

"Flowers for Algernon" was a reread. I read the book at least three decades ago, having read the short it was based on four decades ago. On first read I kind of glossed over the literary pretension in the novel, not really getting it. It's even more painful now. The mentally retarded Charlie undergoes an operation to increase intelligence - which works, but is temporary. He is for a period of months a genius, only to lose it all. It works fairly well as a short story. The book is filled in with endless angst over things his mother did that he only understands later. I feel like it is a book length exploration of the joke that the Freudian psychologist tells his patients: "If it's not one thing, it's your mother!" And, of course, with the literary pretension there's the nihilistic ending. It would have been so easy to end this book on a high note. Nope, can't have that.

". . . And Call Me Conrad" was...odd. I flat out love "Night in the Lonesome October" but haven't read a lot of Zelazny. Kind of a hole in my SFnal reading. So I was looking forward to this and, well, nothing. It's a lot of Greek references which I mostly got, having been to Greece and enjoying soaking up the culture. It's just that it didn't really make an enjoyable story. The novel is a post-apocalyptic Earth that nuked itself to oblivion and whose struggling Lunar and Martian colonies were eventually adopted by an alien race. They pretty much own Earth to the chagrin of the few survivors. Kind of techno-fantasy as radioactive mutations lead to mythical beings re-emerging, as if any straying from the base genome lets other forces shape the DNA.

The MC is a mysterious figure who is mysteriously immortal and mysteriously connects to the land and people and zzzz. I had little reaction to this book. Whereas with "Algernon" I roll my eyes at the pretension (but I get it) and "Way Station" forces a format I don't care about (but I know why Simak did it) this one just left me blah. I thought I would be at least edified by an "important" SFnal work. Nah. A waste of a good premise.

All in all these books made me feel like watching the Oscars, where a bunch of the nominated works are in movies I've never seen, have no interest in seeing, and made much lower box office than "unworthy" works. So the literati give awards to themselves. Well, go ahead, that doesn't make the works any better.

[Trike]

Finished The Spellshop. It’s a cozy Fantasy that’s basically a Hallmark Christmas movie in a Fantasy world. If you like those kinds of movies then you’ll like this book.

[Clyde]

Just finished:
- The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I (A very interesting biography about a complex man and about his mysterious disappearance in 1913.)
- Razorblade Tears (Good crime-fiction. Overall a damn good suspense-action story with breakneck pace. It doesn't do to anger hard old men.)

Now reading:
- The Magnificent Nine (A Firefly story. Jayne Cobb gets a call from his past. Off to a good start!)
- On the Moor: Science, History and Nature on a Country Walk (Richard Carter’s walks in the countryside lead him to examine many diverse topics.)

[John (Taloni)]

Read Greenteeth from a rec either here or Discord. It's competent if a bit predictable through about the 80% mark, at which point it turns into an amazing ending. I can't talk about why it's so good, even with spoiler tags on the most important parts, without giving some of it away. So, if you're thinking about it, read the blurb at most and then just dive in.

It's the author's debut novel. DEBUT! *flings hands in air*

[Ruth]

Finished the fourth Dungeon Crawler Carl book, The Gate of the Feral Gods, and felt like a palate cleanser before continuing the series. So I’ve just started the romantic comedy 10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall. And the first thing I noticed was something that’s never happened to me before — I’m listening to an audiobook narrated by someone with a Scouse (Liverpool) accent!
The first-person POV main character is from Liverpool so this is clearly the right choice of accent for the book, although I bet there’s loads of people in the Audible reviews whinging they can’t understand him. It’s funny because living in Liverpool I hear Scouse accents every day, but never on audiobooks.

[Ruth]

And on my Kindle I’ve just started The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison, sequel to The Witness for the Dead and set in the world of The Goblin Emperor.

While from the library I’ve got Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton, the sequel to our BotM.

[Phil]

Just finished The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. It is a cozy, murder mystery set in and around an English retirement village. While I enjoyed it quite a bit I also found a lot to be annoyed with. The first quarter was slow going with too many characters, most of whom with little to no physical description for me to visualize, to keep straight. Often a new character would be dropped in with no introduction and I'd be thinking " Am I supposed to know who this is? " Also I'm not a can of the use of present tense prose; it seems show-offish for no purpose.
I could go on but I don't want to give the impression I hated it, it just could have been much better. I eventually got drawn in and I already have the second one ready to go.

Next though is The Narrow Road Between Desires by Patrick Rothfuss.

[Tamahome]

I read The Thirteenth Tale, which teases to have a ghost but really doesn't. If you like book club historical fiction with a good twist at the end, it might work for you.

I also read On Samuel R. Delany's Dhalgren too. It was like reading a medical journal.

[Chris K.]

I finished The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson. 5 stars. I can't wait for the sequel. (view spoiler)[So many great twists. (hide spoiler)]

Next up is Warhost of Vastmark by Janny Wurts. Book 3 of The Wars of Light and Shadow series.

[Phil]

Just finished The Narrow Road Between Desires by Patrick Rothfuss. This is another small interstitial story of a side character of the Kingkiller series like The Slow Regard of Silent Things was. In this case it was a day in the life of Bast. And yes, I'd much rather have been reading the third book in the trilogy but things being what they are this was still a beautiful, poetically written book. The words flow around and comfort you like a warm bath on a cold day.
OK, that may be overstating it but it was good and I enjoyed it even while at the same time it made me want something else.
Don't avoid it just because you're pissed it isn't book 3.

Next is The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman.

[Chris K.]

I've started The River Has Roots. I read 38% in one sitting so I think I like it. The story just flows.

I've also started reading the Dresden Files again. I read a few of the novels many years ago but I decided to start over and try to read the whole series (novels, short stories, and graphic novels) in internal chronological order. So far so good (two novels, one short story, and one graphic novel down) and so many more to go.

According to the list I found online, there are 53 entries in the series to date with more on the way.

This is the list I'm following: The Complete Chronological Dresden Files Book Order.

https://www.tlbranson.com/dresden-fil...

[Gary]

I finished reading A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold. Miles’s latest mission is his most difficult yet. He’s in love and wants to court the next Lady Vorkosigan, but everyone conspires against him, including her. I am reading The Waste Lands (Book three of the Dark Tower Series) by Stephen King. Roland continues his journey to the Dark Tower. We learn more about his universe, but I’m not loving it so far. I am also reading The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. A dangerous mismatched group is sent on an impossible mission by the Pope in this alternate world fantasy. It’s fun and crazy for sure. I’m planning to read An Autumn War (Long Price Quartet Book #3) by Daniel Abraham next.

[terpkristin]

Hmm I finished the books I was in the last time I was here, The Spellshop (Mary Sue but light and kind of what i needed) and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (pretty much the antithesis of Spellshop). I really enjoyed Ballad so moved directly into Sunrise on the Reaping which was CRAZY dark. I finished that in less than a week I think, then went to re-read The Hunger Games, which I finished in less than 2 days. I wanted to see all of the easter eggs come to fruition. I also read Murder by Cheesecake which was fine I guess. I do enjoy cozy mysteries but I guess I prefer them with cats or dogs and librarians or fiber artists. I don't think I'll continue that series.

Up next...well, I did procure Greenteeth, so maybe that. I also have A Letter to the Luminous Deep in physical form sitting next to me as I type this. And I have Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone on Kindle and audio. So I have options. I think I'll definitely be reading "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone", probably in audio. But for what I read with my eyes...we'll see.

[Ruth]

Just today I finished Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton, sequel to our BotM Mickey7. I think I enjoyed it even more than Mickey7, and it provided a suitable end to the story while leaving enough open for a sequel.

I have started listening to The Martian Contingency, the latest Lady Astronaut book from Mary Robinette Kowal. Enjoying it so far although it's been a while since I read the previous book in the series so I'm trying to remember everything that went before.

I'm also reading a romance novel I picked up at a charity book stall, It Happened One Summer. It's about a spoiled LA party girl who for contrived reasons has to spend the summer at a small fishing town where she definitely isn't going to end up falling for the surly fisherman guy she's just met. It's a fun read for sitting in my garden in the sunshine.

[Stephen]

I am reading Joe Abercrombie.s Devils. Also reading She Dreams in Blood by Michael R. Fletcher. Finished Christian Cameron's The Venetian Heretic: 'The Master of Historical Fiction' Sunday Times a historical novel of 17th Century Venice,

[Steve]

I've recently started Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff, and I'm struggling to understand why it's so highly rated. That said, based on the reviews, it does seem to be a highly divisive book.

I'm about 15% in, and the writing style isn't gelling with me. The author appears to have recently discovered swearing and seems to enjoy using "fuck" as punctuation. What makes this even more jarring is that he can't seem to decide whether the characters are speaking French or English (and why French, in a world that has nothing to do with France?).

Basically, it feels like the author read Interview with the Vampire and thought they could transplant that vibe into a fantasy setting.

In any case, hope springs eternal, so I'll keep reading - hoping the people who say it gets better in the second half are right...

[Rachel]

This made me go down a rabbit hole and I read the top reviews which is one star and absolutely REAMS the book. The second top review is the actual author promoting his own book. Crazy way to spend 15 minutes

[Steve]

So, I DNF'd Empire of the Vampire at 40%. I hadn't actually read the top review of the book, just noted the 1 star review and assumed it was being hyperbolic, which it turns out was a mistake. Leaving aside the weird obsession with violence involving children (which that review covers well), my main problem with the book was the sudden tonal shifts, and the impression that you were watching the author write the book, all of which made it very disjointed.

Oh well, onwards and, hopefully, upwards. Next up: Malice by John Gwynne...