Fantasy Book Club discussion
What are you reading in...
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What are you reading in July 2011?
I've got a pretty slim month planned (see my blog entry from this morning for more details). I'm taking a break from the FBC selection this month, as I've read A Wizard of Earthsea multiple times already.
I plan to read The Snow Queen as I've had that novel in my book case for years and just never got around to it. I'm also going to read the sequel to The Summer Tree.
Currently reading Retribution Falls and will read A Dance with Dragons as soon as I can get my mitts on it.If I have time will add Magyk and The Magician by Michael Scott.
I am halfway through The Soul Mirror by Carol Berg, and typical of her series, this second installment is really gaining spin. She's never disappointed, in that way. I LOVE a book where the villain is not obvious, and a character seen as one thing may turn out to be quite other as the story shifts perspective.Few do this as well as Berg.
I am still slowly nibbling away at Embassytown. I'm really enjoying it, but it's one of those books I need to read in bite-sized chunks, taking time to reflect on each before moving on. I'll surely finish it this month, but I'm in no hurry. I'm happy to savor it slowly.Other than that, I have lined up:
I might squeeze another book or two in if I get on a reading roll, but I'm not planning anything specific just yet.
Edit to add: I'd really like to fit in
if I can find a place for it in my challenges, because it's being discussed this month over in the Mythic Fiction group, but I don't know if I can shoehorn it.
Bah, I'm in a rut and not reading much these days, too much fun in the sun to be had. Still on Memories of Ice. Will hopefully get that finished and get started on A Feast for Crows.
I accidentally posted this in the June thread.
I am reading Mercedes Thompson Iron Kissed. I recently finished Blood Bound. I had difficulty sleeping the first night I finished that book.
I am reading Mercedes Thompson Iron Kissed. I recently finished Blood Bound. I had difficulty sleeping the first night I finished that book.
In the middle of The Hero of Ages but I'm having some trouble with it so have also just finished Matched and am about to start Ultraviolet. After that I've got The Innocent Mage and The Awakened Mage lined up!
Finished LUD-in-the-Mist and started At the Edge of the World by Lord Dunsany. Still rockin' the Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series; will probably do two more (Phantastes and The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath) before moving on to more contemporary things.
Finished The Soul Mirror - fabulous!Berg's series ALWAYS flower in the second installment. Incredibly. No cliffhanger, either! Big points from me for that.
Might not get to all of them but my wish list for July is: Iam readingShip of Magic and will continue with The Mad Ship and Ship of Destiny. I will read A Dance with Dragons when-if it comes out. I have The Lions of al-Rassan coming that I'm anxious to try, my first of this author. And if there's time left The Eye of the World.
I'm slap bang in the middle of A Clash of Kings! I'm enjoying it but not as much as I enjoyed A Game of Thrones but it's till early days yet so I may end up enjoying it more but we'll see! Loving Tyrion though my favourite character fair play!
Rebecca wrote: "I'm slap bang in the middle of A Clash of Kings! I'm enjoying it but not as much as I enjoyed A Game of Thrones but it's till early days yet so I may end up enjoying it more but we'll see! Loving T..."I got a little bored and somewhat aggravated that the plot just crawls along. Possible (view spoiler)
Nearly finished with The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi. Enjoyed it just as much as the first, yet in a different sort of way.I also recently started Death Masks by Jim Butcher
I am reading the Dark Elf Trilogy, but only the first book, Homeland for a book club read.
Can't wait for GRRM's Dance with Dragons!
Finished The Ghost Brigades last night. It was great. :)Now I'm diving into a bit of magical realism with Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
I finished up my reread of A Feast for Crows. The 12th can't come soon enough.Next up is Legend by David Gemmell.
I finished reading Legend. It's a flawed but enjoyable heroic fantasy novel about a besieged fortress.Next up is A Spell for Chameleon. I want to squeeze in one more short novel before ADWD and this was lying around.
Almost half-through The Desert Spear. Is it just me, or does this book have a lot of "b*tch, get back in the kitchen" attitude? It's actually starting to annoy me. I'm also on Shadow's Edge, too.
Chelsea wrote: "Almost half-through The Desert Spear. Is it just me, or does this book have a lot of "b*tch, get back in the kitchen" attitude? It's actually starting to annoy me. "You nailed that one on the head. Not sure I'll be reading the rest of that series.
Jon wrote: "Chelsea wrote: "Almost half-through The Desert Spear. Is it just me, or does this book have a lot of "b*tch, get back in the kitchen" attitude? It's actually starting to annoy me. ..."LOL, I didn't even finish the first one because of the stereotyped, one dimensional characters.
Sandra aka Sleo wrote: LOL, I didn't even finish the first one because of the stereotyped, one dimensional characters. I'm really disappointed! I thought the first book was really well done, but the misogyny is bugging me, and I'm not even half-way through the book. Also, Arlen doesn't feel like a character anymore, just an avatar.
Uh-oh... it's sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read - AND I bought it, (but that's usually just based on what I can't get from the library).I enjoyed the first - esp. like the concept, but am not excited to hear about increasing misogyny.
Right now I'm reading Beyond the Deepwoods; Naamah's Blessing; Of Bees and Mist and The Darkest Road....waiting for my copy of A Dance With Dragons to arrive!Need to get cranking on at least two of those I'm reading, since I'm sure aDwD will take up a big part of my reading time.
Finished A Spell for Chameleon. It was better than I expected but it didn't have enough good qualities to overcome the bad.I just got home with A Dance with Dragons so that's next!
No big surprise here. I just started a Dance with Dragons.
Reading what else, but A Dance with Dragons right now.
Will read A Clash of Kings once I'm through with The Desert Spear and Shadow's Edge. I came late to the GRRM train but I am looking to catch up! I love all the enthusiasm people in this community have for new releases by favorite authors.
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, many, many great suggestions in here. I was beggining to think my options had dried up, but now my cup runneth over. Thanks.The Way of Shadows - Just finished
Shadow’s Edge - Just started
Beyond the Shadows - Up next
Then of course Dance With Dragons
Then I think the Earthsea Trilogy...
I am reading The Great Hunt and then i will read The Warded/Painted Man after which i will continue my reread of WOT.
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..."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..."
Book one of the Earthsea Trilogy is our book of the month this month if you'd care to join us.
I just finished The Soul Mirror and gave it four stars. Berg is always a delight, rich and rewarding.
Am starting Wild Hunt, 2nd in an urban fantasy series that takes place in Boston - one of my favorite cities. Also starting Deerskin.
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..."Nice!
Finished Phantastes
and am about to start Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath
by H.P. Lovecraft. Then I think it'll be time to rejoin the 21st century for a while.
Leah wrote: "I gave up on that series :( I got maybe 200-300 pages into CoK and decided that I didn't want to read another 1000+ page book that I wasn't into very much. The language was a little crude for my taste but the story wasn't engaging enough for me to tolerate it...."I felt the same way about that book, but it is for sure worth finishing because it really picks up towards the last 1/3rd and the following books are epic...
Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "Book one of the Earthsea Trilogy is our book of the month this month if you'd care to join us."I am just so into Shadows Edge I can't put it down. What is the next group read? I will put it before Dance With Dragons. I have waited long enough for that book, another few weeks will not kill me.
Machavelli wrote: "I am reading The Great Hunt and then i will read The Warded/Painted Man after which i will continue my reread of WOT."Nope, after the warded man you will have to read The Desert Spear. Those are good books.
I just finished
and all I can say is WOW...
Paula wrote: "Just finished The Black Prism and can't wait for the discussions to start, what a great book"Fantastic book! I can't wait for part 2.
I finished Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath
and am a goodly ways into Queen of the Iron Sands
by Scott Lynch -- it's a work-in-progress/just something he was working on for fun from his website. Kind of riffing off of both Astounding magazine and Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars books. Very fun and, I'm sure, very unfinished.
I'm reading Jim Butcher's Furies series. Although he's best known for the Harry Dresden novels, I'm liking these even more. They're pure fantasy, lots of swords & sorcery - a neat, new kind of sorcery - not paranormal.http://www.goodreads.com/series/45545...
Jim,I'm so glad you like them! I was going to start the series after I'm finished with A Dance with Dragons.
I enjoyed his Furies series too. Just plain good fun, and a truly different sort of alien.
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, and the ideas presented by his challenger were: 1) Lost Roman legion. 2) Pokemon.I read the first three a few years back; really need to finish things up.
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Am also reading A Wizard of Earthsea, and Servant of the Empire. Who knows what's next on the docket?
Oh! Also listening to Dark Fire - historical mystery during the time of Cromwell's England. I'm impressed with how filthy they were in those days. :)