What Are You Reading In June 2011?

[Trevor]

Finished 2666 and that has to be the most pointless book I've ever read. I finished it out of sheer stubbornness and felt cheated when the main mystery of the book didn't get resolved. What amazes me is how highly regarded this book is by most people. Oh well, to each his/her own.

Next up I'm going back to Paul Kearney with Century of the Soldier.

[Colin]

Machavelli wrote: "I am reading The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov, i have already read Foundation but not the sequels included in this edition. I have been reading a lot of fantasy lately, it will b..."

I think they're great reads. I think it was probably Asmiov more than any author who built in me a reading habit.

[Maggie]

Peggy wrote: "I finished Midnight Riot yesterday, which had come highly recommended by someone in my writer's group. I enjoyed it quite a bit - sort of a veddy British take on the Dresden Files. ..."

I really enjoyed Midnight Riot too Peggy-I had to go pick up Moon Over Soho, which I will hopefully get to soon!

[Peggy]

Finally got around to reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I enjoyed it, but I would have enjoyed it even more if it had been edited down a bit. I haven't decided if I'm going after the rest of the series (I've heard the editing is even worse). Any advice?

Maggie, the friend who loaned me Midnight Riot is reading Moon Over Soho right now, so I should have it in my hot little paws soon.

[Scott]

Peggy wrote: "Finally got around to reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I enjoyed it, but I would have enjoyed it even more if it had been edited down a bit. I haven't decided if I'm going a..."

My biggest problem with that whole series was the editing. I thought large sections could have been removed from the 2nd and 3rd books.

It was an intriguing read and I wanted to see what was going to happen but you have to wade through a lot of crap to get there.

[Maggie]

Trevor wrote: "Finished 2666 and that has to be the most pointless book I've ever read. I finished it out of sheer stubbornness and felt cheated when the main mystery of the book didn't get resolv..."

I read 2666 and felt exactly the same way...I was wondering if I was missing something. The mystery did make me think about class systems, and maybe that was the point, but it felt incredibly unfinished...

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Peggy wrote: "Finally got around to reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I enjoyed it, but I would have enjoyed it even more if it had been edited down a bit. I haven't decided if I'm going a..."

Skip the books, watch the movies. ;)

(Ok, I've only seen the first movie (and only read the first book, for that matter) but I thought it did a fair job of adapting the book, and it was much less boring.)

I have no intention of reading the other two books, but I may watch the movies at some point.

[[deleted user]]

Started Sweet Silver Blues this morning. Hopefully this will be a good popcorn series.

[Snail in Danger (Sid)]

I've heard that it's a fun read, Ala. Looking forward to hearing what you think.

[Valerie]

I gave up on Dragon Tattoo after I got past page 200 and realized it was still in exposition mode. It didn't grab me at all. I couldn't do it. :(

[Angus]

Hey guys, just started snow crash, not too sure what to think at the moment. I'm not sure if it's me but it seems a little slow at the start getting into the story, I figured i'd keep at it and keep on reading seeing as its well recommended. Did anyone else find it hard trying to understand/visualize the description of his computer? and how the metaverse works?

[[deleted user]]

It starts a bit slow, as far as the overall plot goes. But it picks up.

I actually had no real trouble with visualizing the computer or the metaverse. The franchising and all, though, was a different concept altogether.

[Bill]

Just wondering if anyone has read Dean Koontz's Frankenstein series? I saw it for the first time in a book store in North Bay and it looks interesting. Koontz has been sort of hit and miss for me, so I was hoping someone might have some thoughts about this particular series. Thanks in advance

[Angus]

Oh ok, well thats good to hear Ala, i'll keep at it! I finished Electric Church, absolutely loved it, couldnt put it down, now for the 2nd in the series!

[Benjamin]

I finished The Deserter by Peadar Ó Guilín this afternoon. The book wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it was pretty good.

Now back to ASOIAF with A Storm of Swords.

[whimsicalmeerkat]

I started The Summer Tree this evening. Enjoying it so far, but it's hardly amazing and is definitely hurting by being read immediately after All Quiet on the Western Front. I have a couple other BotMs to read this month, including a re-read of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

[Edward]

Denae wrote: "I started The Summer Tree this evening. Enjoying it so far, but it's hardly amazing and is definitely hurting by being read immediately after [book:All Quiet on the Western Front|3556..."

I'm 90 pages into The Summer Tree, and though it's very well written, I'm having trouble bonding with any of the characters or caring a great deal about what's happening. It's pleasant to read, though.

[[deleted user]]

Snail in Danger (Sid) wrote: "I've heard that it's a fun read, Ala. Looking forward to hearing what you think."

Finished it last night.

It was a fun and quick read, actually. Some action, some humor, a bit of mystery, and some good characters.

Promising start for the series, I think.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Ala - Is this one actually fantasy noir, and not just posing as such?

[[deleted user]]

Yeah, it is. Hardcase detective, good with quips and sly/clever as well. And the story is all about the case/job he's on.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Cool, thanks. :>

[[deleted user]]

I still find it a weird setting, though. But that's probably because I'm just used to the 'modern' UF stuff.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

*runs off to wiki*

Hmm - so it's sort of like John Taylor meets Ankh-Morpork?

[[deleted user]]

*saunters over to wiki*

Hmm. I've never read Discworld, but I'll hazard a guess and say 'maybe'. Only not very much of the whole 'comedic violence' outbreaks deal.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

You've never read Discworld? O_O

That is seriously something which needs to be rectified, and in short order. For you, I'd recommend starting with the Watch books. Here's a handy reading order guide to get you started: http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-o...

(BTW, don't think I didn't notice the saunter vs. the run, Mr. Too-Cool-for-School.)

[Snail in Danger (Sid)]

Hey Colleen, I've never read it either. (Seen that graphic before and thought "Wow, that looks complicated.") My sole experience with Discworld is picking up whichever one had the turtle on the cover and bouncing off it, over 15 years ago. (A little digging suggests that apparently that was Small Gods.)

I've thought I should give the series another try at some point. Now would probably be a good time, since I'm looking for something fun to read.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Small Gods is one of my favorite "stand alones". (I know the chart says it's connected to Pyramids, and I guess it is, but it doesn't have to be.) ;)

You don't have to follow the chart. You could read in publication order. You could even read it in random order, though you do get some jumbled character development that way. (I started with Wyrd Sisters, myself.)

I just recommend that people don't start with Color of Magic and the Light Fantastic, even though they're the first two books. They're not really the best of the series, and I hate for people to judge the whole thing just on those two.

I usually recommend that people start with Death, or the Witches - but, then, I'm insanely biased that way.

(Also, looking at this chart informs me that I haven't read any of the short stories, YA novels, or science novels. Tsk tsk on myself.) ;)

[Rusty]

Just finished The Perdido Street Station which I truly enjoyed. I have read Un Lun Dun and The City and the City and am waiting for a copy of The Scar to come my way. The more I read by this author the more I find I like his work. Tremendous imagination! No wonder so many people like his writing.

[whimsicalmeerkat]

I'm reading Discworld in publication order, which has worked out for me for the most part. Primarily, I adore them. There have been a few I cared for less. I particularly love Death and Rincewind. They're just both so lovable!

[[deleted user]]

Yeah, see, that's a lot of books in that series. And I don't want to jump into it until I've completed a few other series I've already started.

Plus I'm lazy.

[Maggie]

It does seem like it would be much more than I want to think about....


Malazan has 10 books, and that is enough for me

:P

[[deleted user]]

I still need to get back to Malazan...

[Benjamin]

Who wouldn't want to read a 30+ book series? :P

I'll second Colleen's suggestion to start Discworld somewhere in the middle. The best places seem to be Mort, Wyrd Sisters, or Guards! Guards!.

[Valerie]

Mort is fantastic! I started with Monstrous Regiment myself, though my favorite so far is Witches Abroad. :D

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Maggie wrote: "It does seem like it would be much more than I want to think about....


Malazan has 10 books, and that is enough for me

:P"

But the Malazan books are, like, 3 times as long as a standard Discworld book... so 10 Malazan books is like 30 Discworld books, which is practically the whole series! ;)

(I've never read Malazan but I've heard they're kind of dense? The Discworld books are light and super fast reads. And they're not continuous in the sense of cliffhangers or anything, so you could easily read them one at a time as time allows.)

Or not. I mean, it's not like I'm going to twist your arm or anything. :>

[Trevor]

Thanks for posting that reading order Colleen, I've been looking to get into Discworld for a while now but didn't know where to start.

[[deleted user]]

Rusty wrote: "Just finished The Perdido Street Station which I truly enjoyed. I have read Un Lun Dun and The City and the City and am waiting for a copy of The Scar to come my way. The more I read by this auth..."

Have to agree with you there, Rusty. One of my alltime favourite authors. Even when I don't particularly find a story engaging (like Kraken) his wild imagination is enough to keep me reading. Half-way through Embassytown now.

[Mark]

I just finished The Gathering Storm this evening and will be starting Towers of Midnight soon. Also have Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series sitting in the TBR

[Deanne]

I love Pratchett's DEATH books, especially Reaper man, sad to hear he's got Alzheimer's.
I've got a signed copy of Going Postal, he was really nice spoke to everyone who came, stayed til he'd signed the last book and signed any of his books that were bought and not just the latest most expensive.
You could try Good Omens if you don't want to start reading the Discworld books.

I've just got Neverwhere and The Stars my Destination from the library.

[Kevin]

Mark wrote: "I just finished The Gathering Storm this evening and will be starting Towers of Midnight soon. Also have Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series sitting in the TBR"

The ironic part is that the fifth book in Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series is also titled The Gathering Storm, but its published six years before Brandon Sanderson's book.

[whimsicalmeerkat]

Kevin wrote: "Mark wrote: "I just finished The Gathering Storm this evening and will be starting Towers of Midnight soon. Also have Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series sitting in the TBR"

The ironic part is that the fifth book in Kate..."

not really

[Peggy]

Thanks for the all the feedback on the Dragon Tattoo series. I haven't given up on reading the other two books, but I have put them on the back burner. Right now I'm trying to read Spook Country, but I'm not feeling it. I love Gibson's writing, but the characters in this one aren't grabbing me.

[Susan]

Sc wrote: Even when I don't particularly find a story engaging (like Kraken) his wild imagination is enough to keep me reading.

Yeah, ditto what SC says about Mieville in response to Rusty. I don't rank him up there as the greatest storyteller, per se, but I do rank him at the top for the greatest imagination. Scar was amazing.

Um, since this is not the Mieville thread, I'll mention that I'm finishing Kill the Dead. Ex-Heroes is next on my list.

[[deleted user]]

Just started Old Tin Sorrows, book 4 of the Garret P.I. series.

I'm really enjoying this series so far. It's like Dresden, if he were stuck in a Middle Earth that had been filtered through the Nightside a few times.

[Angus]

Hey guys, just curious but has anyone read Death's Head? From a glance it appears to be mindless action and requires no concentration but from time-to-time, i kinda like just reading something that's just plain entertaining.
Also, any recommend The Chronicles of Malus Darkblade vol. 1 (Warhammer) or Vampire Wars (Warhammer)? or anything from the Black Library

[Juanita]

I'm reading Palimpsest by Catheryne M. Valente.

[Snail in Danger (Sid)]

Ala wrote: I'm really enjoying this series so far. It's like Dresden, if he were stuck in a Middle Earth that had been filtered through the Nightside a few times.

What a lovely description. :) Unfortunately, my library doesn't have them and I've had 0 luck at local used book stores ... perhaps it's time to call in Captain Internet.

[[deleted user]]

Angus: I've only read a few from the Black Library, so can't give an in-depth rec from it, but of what I've read I really enjoyed Brothers of the Snake.

Sid: Captain Internet is the greatest superhero ever. And he's also kind of a douche.

[Maggie]

Snail in Danger (Sid) wrote: "Ala wrote: I'm really enjoying this series so far. It's like Dresden, if he were stuck in a Middle Earth that had been filtered through the Nightside a few times.

What a lovely description. :) U..."

I LOVE Garrett PI, as Ala would say...good stuff
Some of the books are hard to find, I had luck with thriftbooks

[[deleted user]]

Garret is that rare bird in the well travelled roads of the genre: something original. Not so much as the motifs as the style and the sense of humanity the character brings with it.