Beyond Reality discussion
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What else are you reading in December 2009?
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I've started Fire by Kristin Cashore - it's not bad so far, a loose sequel to her first, Graceling. It put me off a little that one of the advertising phrases is "it will slake the thirst of Twilight fans" - but so far it's enjoyable.
Next up is Spiral Hunt by Margaret Ronald. I'm looking forward to it especially since it is set in Boston, where I live - always fun to read books that take place in your home! :)Shel, I'll be interested to see what you think of Spiral Hunt. It's been on my radar for a while, but I've never taken the plunge and bought it.
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Finished up Physics of the Impossible A Scientific Exploration of the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel and I have to say, wow, my mind is still screwed up. Book is quite interesting.Started up on a The Hidden City
I am a big Michelle West fan, this is a continuation of her Sun Sword series.
Currently reading The Stolen Throne. I couldn't help myself, as soon as I finished playing Dragon Age Origins I had to run out and by it. I wanted more, more, more. Best RPG PC game I've ever played and so far this novel, which is a prequel to events in the game has not dissappointed. In fact, it has inspired me to start the game again from the beginning. *Quiet sigh* So much for the housework again next week...
I rereading Daughter of the Blood and really enjoying it. It's the first time I've reread it and all sorts of things that confused me the first time now make sense as I read it again. I suspect I will end up rereading at least the original trilogy.
Finished A Sorcerer's Treason (my review) yesterday. I'm starting (and hope to finish today) the first book in the Great Book of Amber - Nine Princes in Amber.
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I'm still immersed, though almost finished, with my Harry Potter holiday marathon. After that I'm planning on starting Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson, but I'm not sure I'll have it finished by the Jan 3rd library deadline. I hate having to get it renewed, since a friend borrowed it out for me, though, so I'm hoping it'll be a quick read despite it's size.
Just finished Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi. A fun, quick read with intersting characters that stirred my emotions if not my intellect.
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I read The Blade Itself over the summer and really enjoyed it. I thought the actual prose & dialogue were a little rough around the edges, but I loved the characters and the story. My favorite character was the inquisitor, whose name I'm blanking out on right now - it takes talent to make an amoral torturer into a sympathetic character!
I finished Spiral Hunt and loved it - it was good fun, especially as it is set in my hometown. There was a twist near the end that made this Bostonian laugh out loud - I won't spoil it for you, but it's pretty clever and very funny!
Now I'm deep into some historical fiction, Race of Scorpions by Dorothy Dunnett. It's the third book of her House of Niccolo series. I highly recommend her to anyone else who likes historical fiction, though I'd start with her other series, the Lymond Chronicles, first book is The Game of Kings.
Then I have To Reign in Hell standing by when I finish for our discussion! Looking forward to participating in my first official discussion with this group :)
Amazon.com in America says that a paperback version of Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America (by Robert Charles Wilson) will be available for $8.99 on May 24, 2010. I know that Stefan has been waiting for a paperback version before nominating this most excellent novel for the group's BOTM. :0)
Deedee wrote: "I know that Stefan has been waiting for a paperback version before nominating this most excellent novel for the group's BOTM..."Sort of a diversionary post - but I just wanted to say that I really appreciate this. As someone who does not frequent the library system, and who does not like to buy hardbacks (and almost never will for a groupread I don't know if I'll enjoy or not), I appreciate the thoughtfulness of waiting until a book is released in paperback before nominating.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. :>
And to second blackrose, I'll say that when I see 'Comstock' in paperback I'll buy a copy, botm or not: I like Wilson, but not enough to shell out for the hardcover. I prefer buying books to library borrowing because I really read the hell out of a book; it often ends up with its back broken, corners dogeared, passages underlined, and it's really not fair to do that to a borrowed book. And I like it that some money (not enough but some) goes to the writers whose work I enjoy.
I just finished Wireless by Charles Stross. I ran across it at the library and checked it out. As I suspected, Charles Stross is a hit-or-miss author with me. I liked some of the stories in this collection and others just didn't engage me. I especially liked "Down on the Farm" which I had listened to recently on a Starship Sofa podcast. I caught a bunch of stuff in the hard copy that I didn't in the podcast. I'm definitely going to look for his novels about The Laundry.I just started Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher. I had passed the earlier volumes on to my daughter, but she's been listening to the audio book versions instead. Apparently, there isn't an audio version of this one or the one before it, so I have to read this so she can keep up on the series.
Shel wrote: "Welcome Ridan!I read The Blade Itself over the summer and really enjoyed it. I thought the actual prose & dialogue were a little rough around the edges, but I loved the characters ..."
I need to write a full review - there is no doubt Inquistor Glokta is a very interesting and well defined character. I think he'll be one of those characters that stay with you years to come. I have several characters from King's The Stand that are that way including Tom Cullen, Nick Andros, and Glen Bateman...Oh and Harold and Mother Abigail.
I finished reading Elantris a couple of days ago, thought it was good but not so much as Mistborn.Now I'm mixing between 1984 by George Orwell and Dreaming Anastasia A Novel of Love, Magic, and the Power of Dreams by Joy Preble.
As of yet, I'm finding both equally satisfying.
hi, i'm Amanda-kinda new here. some of the books i'm reading this month are:Shriek: An Afterwood by Jeff Vandermeer
The City and The City by China Mieville
Random Acts of Senseless Violence by Jack Womack
On Stanger Tides by Tim Powers
The Wind-Up Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
Nova Swing by M. John Harrison
Hi Amanda! I really want to read On Stranger Tides. Make sure you review it!I really liked The City & The City.
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Hello Amanda and welcome. I loved "Nova Swing" and "Random Acts of Senseless Violence": looks like you're having a pretty good month there. Have you read "Light", or the books before "Random Acts"?
About sixty posts on this thread ago I said I had put aside "Mindstar Rising", the first of Peter F Hamilton's 'Greg Mandel' series. I picked it back up and I'm glad I did; the characters become much less cardboard and the plot really picks up in the last half of the book. Now I'd give it an easy seven out of ten.
I've just finished rereading Anne Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy. I started the first one, planning to read it and get to the next two in the next couple of months. Instead, I got so caught up in the story I read all three consecutively and loved them all over again.I've just started Earth's Magic by Pamela F. Service for a total change of pace and a lighter read. By the time I finish that, I expect it will be January.
I finally started Spook Country by Gibson yesterday. So far its very... Gibson. :)
Sandi wrote: "Hi Amanda! I really want to read On Stranger Tides. Make sure you review it!I really liked The City & The City."
If u haven't read any other Powers- i thought that Anubis Gates and esp. Last Call (which won the World Fantasy Award) were quite a bit better, although this is very good so far too.
Ron wrote: "Hello Amanda and welcome. I loved "Nova Swing" and "Random Acts of Senseless Violence": looks like you're having a pretty good month there. Have you read "Light", or the books before "Random Acts"?"I read Light which is one of my all-time fav.'s and i read Ambient by Womack and liked that also
Stefan wrote: "Welcome Amanda! I just finished reading The Windup Girl this afternoon. Thought it was excellent - Paolo Bacigalupi is definitely going on my to-be-watched list."I know - i'm so excited to start Wind-Up Girl, i've heard from more than one source that it could very well be the best sci-fi boook of the year.
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Glad to hear that. I have these books on my shelf.
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Beyond Reality
Books mentioned in this topic
Declare (other topics)The Anubis Gates (other topics)
On Stranger Tides (other topics)
The City & the City (other topics)
Earth's Magic (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Pamela F. Service (other topics)Anne Bishop (other topics)
Dorothy Dunnett (other topics)
Brandon Sanderson (other topics)
Kage Baker (other topics)
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Next up is Spiral Hunt by Margaret Ronald. I'm looking forward to it especially since it is set in Boston, where I live - always fun to read books that take place in your home! :)