What Else Are You Reading - June 2011 Edition

[Randy]

I just finished "First Lord's Fury" by Jim Butcher. Very good series. I wish there was more! Going to start "Hit List" by Laurell K. Hamilton next I think.

[Pickle]

Now starting The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams, my first foray into a fantasy novel of this size. 64 pages in and im loving it. :)

[Anne]

Jenny wrote: "On my to-read pile I'm considering The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters and The Whore's Child."

I was slightly disappointed with The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters, but I've heard others who loved it, so it might have been just me. I don't know what it was exactly, but I felt like I should have loved it more and it was lacking something.

[Alex]

I just finished Mistborn: The Final Empire. I'd never read anything by him before and it took me some time to adjust to his style but I wound up enjoying it enough to get the second one. I loaded up on two other books as well, both I wouldn't have considered without Sword and Laser. I bought The Blade Itself and A Game of Thrones.

I decided to start with game of Thrones, because I want to have at least two of the books down before the series comes to Netflix next year. As I'm sure a majority of you already know, the book is damn amazing and I'm only 100pgs in. I used to get to focused in on one or two authors and somehow missed all these awesome new authors coming into the fantasy genre in the late 90's and the 00's. This is a very good time to be a fantasy reader.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Jenny wrote: "On my to-read pile I'm considering The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters and The Whore's Child."

I was slightly disappointed with The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters, but I've heard others who loved it, so it might have been just me. I don't know what it was exactly, but I felt like I should have loved it more and it was lacking something."

Funny you should mention it. Lately I've been going through my to-read shelf, which has pushed past 500, to see if these are books I actually want to commit to. So I checked 7 out from the library to do what I call book speed dating. I read the first chapter, and if it doesn't grab me, set it aside for the next one. I'll read the ones that interest me the most, and unless I have some compelling reason to try again, will continue the process until the books are due and remove the less interesting ones that I didn't finish from my list.

The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters was the one I tried first but I would have to be talked into it, which, I'm open to, but I don't anticipate following through.

I did get into Madapple, a quick YA read about a bizarre mother and daughter living isolated in Maine.

[Anne]

The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters, to be fair, is interesting, but I couldn't really relate to the main characters and it was kind of like it was better in theory than in practice. Can't really describe it. Luckily my backlog isn't 500 books long, so I usually finish what I start, but there's really not a lot I can say to talk you into it. I don't regret reading it, but it was kind of disappointing because it looked so cool and sounded so great.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

It has a great title, that's for sure. I think it is the original setting that put me off, but the description still sounds kind of kick-ass so I might find my way back to it.

[Anne]

I just started Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories about People Who Know How They Will Die because of the latest S&L podcast. The premise sounded really great and I've read the first stories and liked them a lot.

[Randy]

I was going to start the Hit List next but instead picked up the latest Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Conviction by AAron Aliston. Hit List will be next I hope.

[Boots]

I just started Mistborn: The Final Empire yesterday and so far so good.

[AndrewP]

Pickle wrote: "Now starting The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams, my first foray into a fantasy novel of this size. 64 pages in and im loving it. :)"

You sure picked a good one to start, loved that series. Hope you realize that it's a trilogy, with volume 3 being one of the longest books that I have ever read.

[Ken]

I just finished my re-read of A Song of Ice and Fire (I started a month too early, wanted to finish right before the 5th book came out but couldn't wait).

Now, I'm going back and starting to read books I've missed that I should have read. First up: The Gods Themselves by my favorite scifi author Isaac Asimov.

[Joe]

I just finished Mockingjay and enjoyed it very much and loved the trilogy as a whole. Now I am starting The Dervish House. I am very excited and hope it meets my expectations.

[Jim]

Boots wrote: "I just started Mistborn: The Final Empire yesterday and so far so good."

Can't go wrong with that trilogy. It is one of my favorites.

[Boots]

Jim wrote: "Boots wrote: "I just started Mistborn: The Final Empire yesterday and so far so good."

Can't go wrong with that trilogy. It is one of my favorites."

I'm not too far into it yet but I'm loving the magic system so far. I'm also really liking Sanderson's writing style so far.

[Matthew]

I have just started The Last Wish today, mostly because I found out that the Witcher video game was based on it. I may have spoiled myself because I already know a fair bit of the characters that are being introduced and some of the major plot lines in the story.

So far it is a bit disjointed, almost like a collection of short stories. I can see how CDProjekt could use the material to make such a great game from it though.

[Alex]

Matthew wrote: "I have just started The Last Wish today, mostly because I found out that the Witcher video game was based on it. I may have spoiled myself because I already know a fair bit of the c..."

The Last Wishand Blood of Elves are two of the best books I've ever read. Last Wish is a collection of short stories, as you suspected. The second full Witcher novel was supposed to release in the US this year but got pushed back until Spring 2012... very disappointing.

[Neil]

Just finished reading Kingpin: How One Hacker took over the Cybercrime Underground by Kevin Poulsen. A fascinating book if you're at all interested in identity theft and credit card scamming.

[David]

I'm reading Quantum Man right now, and I'll start Memories of Ice next

[Neil]

Just finished The Hunger Games and The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. I am back to the Wheel of Time starting on book 5 The Fires of Heaven.

[Curt]

Finished up Hunger Games and jumped right into The Heroes. Have been waiting to read this and can't remember why I was waiting. Probably trying to pace myself on Abercrombie. I Am liking this book even more then the others and only a few chapters in.

[Larry]

I'm halfway thru "The Name of the Wind" and loving it. I am sure the next book would be just as good.

After this I have my sights on "The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms".

[Brandon]

I finished Embedded and The Black Company which were both excellent. Now I am about half way through Veteran which I have not made up my mind on. Its an interesting setting but it's a much darker world than I expected.

[Been]

Just finished reading Blindsight. I haven't had as much time for reading recently, so I'm switching to shorter stories for a while. Just signed up to an Audible account so I'm listening to Metatropolis: Cascadia when I'm out and about, then reading Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde when I get the chance to sit down and just read. Might look into another short story collection after that. What do people think of Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories about People Who Know How They Will Die?

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I've been listening to The Drawing of the Three. I own it in print but the audio is great because of the renditions of Odetta vs Detta, for instance. I keep finding reasons to listen, and even though I don't have a sophisticated enough sound system in my car (I can't justify it since my work commute is 3 miles!) - my MacGyver fix is to rest my iTouch on my shoulder as I drive - that way the speaker is close to my ear.

[Peter]

I finally took advantage of the audiblepodcast.com/sword offer and am reading/listening to Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzy. It is my first audible listen but so far I am really liking the format. Wil Wheaton's narriation is excellent as well.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I listened to Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, not recommended while eating. I also just zipped through some short stories (The Whore's Child: Stories and Orientation: And Other Stories) and poems (Emily Dickinson) and am ready for what comes next!

[terpkristin]

Still working on the ASoIaF series. Finished up A Storm of Swords today and moved right into A Feast for Crows. I might actually be able to finish this before A Dance with Dragons comes out.

[Joana]

terpkristin wrote: "Still working on the ASoIaF series. Finished up A Storm of Swords today and moved right into A Feast for Crows. I might actually be able to finish this before [book:A Danc..."

Right there with you! ASoS was a hard one to get through. Amazing, but with a lot of WTH moments and very long.

[Been]

Just started Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories about People Who Know How They Will Die on my Kindle and I'm about 20% through already. So far it's nothing like I expected it to be and I couldn't be happier. My favourite story is currently the first one and doesn't show any signs of changing.

[Jim]

Done with The Dreaming Void - on to The Evolutionary Void. The deeper I get into this the more I like it.

Regards, Jim

[Skip]

I just finished off The Magic of Recluce, which I picked up as an ebook because they issued a 20 year re-release. I liked it enough to go looking through my bookshelves, and struck gold - the first five books in paperback.

It's been awhile since I've read them and I'm not spending the $9-$10 for each ebook. I really wish you could scan your UPC on your phone to get those older books for $1.99 or something. Somehow one of my copies is an Orbit printing, I can't remember when I would have been somewhere to pick it up, all my others are the TOR printings.

I'm debating finishing A Storm of Swords and catching up in time to read A Dance with Dragons with everyone. Though quite frankly I am more interested in Ghost Story. That said I could finish off Dance before Ghost Story even comes out. I'm just not sure I feel like it.

[Elie]

Just finished a new unpublished work by Napoleon Hill - one of my heroes: Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success. Like all books by Napoleon Hill, this one really gets me to reexamine my life. Every time I read something of his, I notice improvements and changes I can make to make myself better. The book was great, but the editor annotated the heck out of it. I thought that was distracting, unnecessary, and practically a defacement of the book. If you can learn to skip past the annotations, you'll really get something out of it.

Finished that, now starting on Carte Blanche, the new James Bond novel

[Tamahome]

Just finished the graphic novel Orc Stain. I give it 4 gronches.

[Kayla]

Hey, can anyone help me out? I read this book a couple of years ago and really want to read it again, it's sort of like a new Island of Doctor Monreau. I don't quite remember how it starts but i just remember there are two main characters that are girls, and one gets transformed into a bird, and the other a sting ray I think? Anyways please help me!!!

[Tamahome]

My google fu is stronger than yours.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...

[Kayla]

Oh my goodness thank you so much :)and yes, i bow to your skills haha
Thanks again!!!!!

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm listening to The Waste Lands (Dark Tower #3) and just got to the description of the tower.. and the roses.. *dies*

I started Consider Phlebas but it sure is taking a while to get started. Can anyone urge me on or warn me off?

[Tamahome]

Use of Weapons seems more 'literary', but the end pissed me off. :) Half the chapters go back in time.

[Brandon]

I found use of weapons to be a frustrating book. The end was a surprise but there were a lot of jumbled up missions throughout the book that the reader is just thrown into in the middle of in most cases. Then suddenly the mission is over despite there not always being a clear resolution.

It just felt like I was repeatedly being set up for a good bit of sci-fi military action with intrigue and everytime I felt somewhat interested in that particular mission it was taken away.

[Kris]

Jenny wrote: "I'm listening to The Waste Lands (Dark Tower #3) and just got to the description of the tower.. and the roses.. *dies*

I started Consider Phlebas but it sure is taking ..."

Consider Phlebas is pretty tough sledding for awhile as there is a lot of internal dialogue as the main charater is thrashing out his motivations and like the commenters above mention Banks never likes to explain much so you have to learn on your own with a few hints. I found the book a better read the second time through as I had a better understanding of the background and events by then. It is probably Banks hardest read in the Culture universe. I thought it was worth the pay off though but that is 20/20 hindsight talking there...

[Alex]

Just finished Bitter Seeds. It was awesome. Now gonna try to devour Leviathan before A Dance with Dragons comes out. Actually the other thing I've been reading a lot of is speculation and essays about ASOIAF to catch up on my GRRM knowledge.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Kris wrote: ". I thought it was worth the pay off though but that is 20/20 hindsight talking there...
/i>

Thanks Kris, this helps!

[Tamahome]

I think Luke Burrage likes The Player of Games the most. And he just reviewed Surface Detail.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Oh y'all are throwing around names of Culture novels, I didn't realize. *facepalm*

[Sean]

Spent most of the month reading the non-SF Toradora! series by Yuyuko Takemiya. Now I'm going to shift back with the Aria of the Scarlet Ammo novels.

[Joe]

I've been slowly making my way through The Dervish House for the last two weeks. I'm enjoying it very much, there is just something about it that is making it take forever for me to read it. It feels dense and I think it is mainly the long stretches of exposition and description. I am liking it however, and plan to finish it -- just don't know how long that is going to take.

[Melissa]

I am just about finished with The Blade Itself . I am not sure if I want to continue reading the series.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Joe wrote: "I've been slowly making my way through The Dervish House for the last two weeks. I'm enjoying it very much, there is just something about it that is making it take forever for me t..."
In the end, I wished it had taken longer...

[AndrewP]

Jenny wrote: "I'm listening to The Waste Lands (Dark Tower #3) and just got to the description of the tower.. and the roses.. *dies*

I started Consider Phlebas but it sure is taking ..."

I would recommend sticking with it. If you have not read any of his other books, or any spoilers, then it's interesting to try and figure out who the bad guys are.

The ending of Use of Weapons probably pisses off a lot of people. I am sure it was written that way. Quite a few Banks books end on a twist or revelation on the last page, or even last sentence.

As to me personally, after wrapping up The Hunger Games I just blazed through Circus of the Damned and Snow Crash (great book) and am now reading The Ghost Brigades and listening to Off Armageddon Reef on audio during my commute.