What are you reading in July 2011?

[Kevin]

I did not enjoy his Furies book, not for my taste. I felt they were the average story that has been told many times, especially in the 80s.

[Jim]

Pokemon & a lost Roman legion? Yeah, I can see that. I appreciate you mentioning that, Joseph. I'll have to tell my wife. She liked them, too.

The Fury books certainly are not great literature, but they are fun. They remind me of Eddings stuff in a lot of ways. Nice way to relax away from the real world. I'm on the last book now. I'm hoping this is the last in the series. It's been good, but I like them to end. Too many series don't seem to any more.

[Joseph]

And I wrapped up Queen of the Iron Sands (as much of it as currently exists -- the first five or six chapters), which I thoroughly enjoyed; I really hope there's more to come, but if not I'll accept it for what it was. Now I'm starting The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, hoping for some nice, dark, gritty fantasy.

[mark]

Joseph wrote: "I finished Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath ..."

i'm always curious to hear what people think of that odd book! i enjoyed it.

just started Before They Are Hanged. a lot of fun so far.

[Sandra]

I started Wild Hunt last night and couldn't get into it -- maybe my mood -- so put it aside and started The Thief which is very enjoyable so far.

[Joseph]

mark wrote: "Joseph wrote: "I finished Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath ..."

i'm always curious to hear what people think of that odd book! i enjoyed it..."

I posted a . . . well, "review" is too strong a word; "reaction" is probably closer to the mark. To repeat myself, it's Lovecraft at his most Dunsanian and I actually think that, at novel length, Lovecraft is better -- I prefer Kadath to King of Elfland's Daughter , for example. (Not that I'm saying you shouldn't read both!)

"Odd" is a very good word for it, though.

And to bring it back to "currently reading", I'm still in the first story in The Last Wish but so far I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

[mark]

i slightly preferred Elfland's Daughter to Kadath. although i did breeze through Kadath and Elfland took quite a bit more time, perhaps the language is more dense in Elfland. still, i thought both were great. Kadath gets rather a bad rap because it is so unusual for Lovecraft. for me, the language was beautiful and it was a strange delight to see some lovecraftian themes & beings transformed and brought into a high fantasy setting.

[Shannon]

Joseph wrote: "I heard an interview with Butcher at one point (I think it was on Slice of SciFi) where he was talking about the genesis of the Furies books -- apparently, he had said that a good series could be written by combining any two disparate ideas..."

I read an article by Orson Scott Card, talking about one of his early books, Hart's Hope, with the same sentiment. It was an okay story until he realized that another completely separate idea was part of the same story.

[Trevor]

I finished Mockingjay. I thought it was a pretty good ending to the trilogy.

Next up is Doomsday Book. I'm only twenty pages in but it's pretty intriguing so far.

[Francesca]

I'm currently reading - actually I just this minute finished! - Picus the Thief by Robin Bennett. Very original: not your average vampire book. It's about a race of "small vampires" who live amongst traditional European folklore creatures, the Fae, wights etc. Has dark humour, magic, peril, and a quest to be completed - I was gripped at the end. Loved it.

Apparently it's part of a trilogy, so I'm keeping an eye out for news of the rest.

[Kevin]

I am reading Ghost Story, the new Dresden Files book.

[Greg]

A Dance with Dragons

Loving it so far. Having to remember way back when I read the third book can sometimes be a challenge.A Dance with Dragons

[Jenny]

Trever wrote: "I am really enjoying the Night Angel Trilogy, I had read some bad reviews that put me off of this series for awhile, but I must say I am really enjoying it. So glad I joined this group. Many, man..."

I hoped you liked the Night Angel Trilogy! They were my favorite books I read last year :)

[Jenny]

I'm currently reading A Dance with Dragons in hardcover and Homeland on my Kindle. I didn't get all of my July group reads done, but I'm looking forward to some good ones in August! I just checked out The Black Prism from the library. It's a 14 day rental so I'll read it when I'm done w/Dragons.

[Kevin]

Jenny wrote: "I'm currently reading A Dance with Dragons in hardcover and Homeland on my Kindle. I didn't get all of my July group reads done, but I'm looking forward to some good one..."

How do like Homeland so far?

[Peter]

Am currently reading The Right Hand of God by Russell Kirkpatrick. Am new here, will be interested to see what people are reading and pick some up!

[Joseph]

Peter wrote: "Am currently reading The Right Hand of God by Russell Kirkpatrick. Am new here, will be interested to see what people are reading and pick some up!"

I'll be curious to know what you think of the Kirkpatrick book -- it's another that's been sitting on my shelf trying to make me feel guilty . . .

[[deleted user]]

once I finish King Arthur: Warrior of the West and Whitechapel Gods

Ill be starting Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, The Name of the Wind and Perdido Street Station

[Peter]

I wrote (bad) reviews of the 2 I've read. Essentially I like the story, he has a fascination with scenery it seems, and that tends to take up a lot more of the book than other authors might.

The story itself I like, though there tends to be a couple points where it seems like "filler" is added.

All in all better than a lot I've read, but not 5 stars either.

[[deleted user]]

I am currently working my way through Steven Erikson's series. I am on the fourth one in the series, House of Chains.

[Jon]

Heather wrote: "I am currently working my way through Steven Erikson's series. I am on the fourth one in the series, House of Chains."

Have you checked out our sister group - Fantasy Book Club Series - where we are currently reading and discussing the Malazan Book of the Fallen?

Here's a link to the start of the House of Chains discussion: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/5...

[Nicholas]

I've finally started to read The Name of the Wind, after every single person who would see me looking at it in the bookstore recommended it heartily. Stay tuned for my review. I'll give you a hint. It's not positive.

[Trevor]

Finished Doomsday Book yesterday and enjoyed it quite a bit.

I'm finally going back to Malazan with Toll the Hounds next.

[Alison]

Black Numbers and Ednor Scardens and Salt Bowl Death - all awesome.

[Joseph]

Finished The Last Wish and started Blood of Elves , both by Andrzej Sapkowski and originally translated from Polish.

[Chelsea]

Reading Devices and Desires and I don't know if I like it or not. A couple characters are keeping me reading it, but it's missing something.

[[deleted user]]

Joseph wrote: "Finished The Last Wish and started Blood of Elves , both by Andrzej Sapkowski and originally translated from Polish."

looks amazing

[Joseph]

Leah wrote: Also, is this series the one that The Witcher video games are based on? or are the names just a coincidence ..."

Yes, this is the series. I have the games but haven't played them yet, so I don't know how much they diverge. I'm enjoying the books, though.

Coincidentally, this is the second translated-from-a-Slavic-tongue basis-for-a-videogame book/series that I've read recently -- last year I read Metro 2033 , although that's postapocalyptic SF rather than fantasy.

[Shanshad]

Just tore through Ghost Storyand loved it. It's a book for those who've been following the Dresden series though, not for those just starting Butcher.

Working on The Map of Time and some Steven Brust Vlad Taltos stuff.

[Sandra]

I'm starting a new topic for August.