What else are you reading in November 2009?

[Jon]

Janny wrote: "McKiernan's SF book, Caverns of Socrates, which I thought numbered among his best ever"

I've not tried his SF novel. City of Jade hasn't grabbed my attention yet, but I'm not very far into. I'll have some time over the holiday to finish it and I'll let you know what I think. I loved Voyage of the Fox Rider and The Eye of the Hunter.

[Jim]

Let me know what you think of the second Imager, Jon. That's a neat system of magic he's worked out.

[Jeffrey]

Jon wrote: "Janny wrote: "McKiernan's SF book, Caverns of Socrates, which I thought numbered among his best ever"

I've not tried his SF novel. City of Jade hasn't grabbed my attention yet, but I'm not very f..."

I think Eye of the Hunter was very good but I was not a fan of Cavern of Socrates. His best book to my mind is Dragondoom. His trilogy of fantasy novels based on the Lord of the Rings was also good.

[Bill]

I've just heard about the death of Robert Holdstock. So sad. Can't believe it. I think I'm going to put everything else on hold and take a visit to Ryhope. Mythago Wood is one of my favourite ever novels. I'm off to re-read it. Robert, you will be missed.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Well, I was planning on reading the new UK editions of Harry Potter I recently purchased... but then I received On Stranger Tides for my birthday, and also received notice that I won a copy of Heresy for first-reads, so now I'm all indecisive.
Harry Potter is good for the holidays, but, then, I've already read the entire series multiple times... but I'm not sure I want something heavy right now, either. And there's the guaranteed pleasure of HP vs. the unknown factor of the others. Oh, decisisions, decisions...

[Sandi]

I finished Dracula The Un-Dead by Dacre Stoker. It's the worst book I've ever read. I'm now reading The Shining by Stephen King. I've only read two other books by him. (Shock!) The movie is one of my all-time favorites. The book is very good so far, but I have to get the movie out of my brain. It's very different.

[Sandi]

blackrose wrote: "Well, I was planning on reading the new UK editions of Harry Potter I recently purchased... but then I received On Stranger Tides for my birthday, and also received notice that I won a..."

I want to read On Stranger Tides. Tim Powers is such a good writer. Difficult, but excellent.

[Stefan, Group Founder + Moderator (Retired)]

I just started Not Less Than Gods by Kage Baker. So far it's pretty good. For fans of the series: it's more or less like The Life of the World to Come, but about Edward Fairfax-Bell instead of Alec Checkerfield.

[Sandi]

Stefan wrote: "I just started Not Less Than Gods by Kage Baker. So far it's pretty good. For fans of the series: it's more or less like The Life of the World to Come..."

Edward barely showed up in Mendoza in Hollywood. I guess he needed his own book.

[Stefan, Group Founder + Moderator (Retired)]

Exactly - so far it's literally like The Life of the World to Come, but for Edward. I've only read 100 out of 300 pages, but I wouldn't be surprised if it ends more or less where Mendoza in Hollywood starts.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Bill wrote: "I've just heard about the death of Robert Holdstock. So sad. Can't believe it."

I had not heard this. I have several of his books on my shelf, some read (like Mythago Wood) and some unread. Another loss...

[Shel, Moderator]

I have never read anything by Holdstock...I should.

I love On Stranger Tides, though it's not my favorite of Powers (my favorites are The Anubis Gates and Last Call). It's a lot of fun, though - pirates, zombies and voodoo, what more could you want? :)

I just recently finished Forests of the Heart (Newford Book 10) by Charles DeLint and really enjoyed it. I've only read one other of his Newford books (Memory and Dream (Newford Book 5)), which I also loved. I don't know if you all have done a DeLint discussion, but these might be good candidates...the books all pretty much stand alone, as far as I know, though some characters are recurring.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Sandi wrote: "I'm now reading The Shining by Stephen King. I've only read two other books by him. (Shock!) The movie is one of my all-time favorites. The book is very good so far, but I have to get the movie out of my brain. It's very different."

Yeah, I've heard that King was rather unhappy with the Kubrick movie, actually. I've yet to read 'The Shining', but I found the movie pretty boring, actually. I enjoyed the mini-series, which apparently follows the books more closely, much better. I sympathize, though, with how hard it is to get the movie idea out of your head while reading (or vice versa, if you read something first then watch an adaptation of it that doesn't follow too well.)

My decision came to a head last night, and I decided, which a little prompting, to go for Harry Potter, so I started the first book last night and am about 100 pages in. I'm glad I decided on this, because it's like settling down with an old friend.

I'm still looking forward to 'Stranger Tides', though. It will be my first ever Tim Powers. (I read a summary of 'Anubis Gates' after someone recommended it, but the write-up didn't really grab me. If I like 'Stranger Tides' enough, though, I'm bound to follow-up with some others.)

[[deleted user]]

"I just started Not Less Than Gods by Kage Baker."

OMG. a new Kage Baker book! It's not even released yet. She turned out two other books this year and an anthology so far, with this one coming up. I bet it's great.