Beyond Reality discussion
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What Are You Reading in July 2011?
July and August are probably my most prolific reading months of the year, and I very much look forward to them. I usually sit in front of my bookshelves and make up a reading list, that I always stray away from. But I'm part of a few Reading Challenges that I'm enjoying, so I'll try to stick with the list!Here's my wish list for July!
I seem to have gotten into a non fiction kick lately, so I've decided to just go with the flow.I'm currently reading
Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History MuseumThe books I'm kind of planning on hitting this month (though my mood is always variable so who knows)
Full House: The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin
The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments
Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body
The Man Who Found Time: James Hutton and the Discovery of Earth's Antiquity
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.
I seem to have slowed down a bit lately, so my planned reading might be a bit ambitious. However, my planned read list is:
Just Finished:Naamah's Blessing by Jacqueline Carey. I found this slightly more emotionally satisfying than the second book in the trilogy, but extremely problematic. I think Carey overreached herself in this latest trilogy rather badly, and I really hope she does something entirely different with her writing for the next several years -- I love this world, but she appear to be tapped out in terms of coming up with new and interesting plots for it.
Currently Reading:
Let's Play White by Chesya Burke
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
Up Next:
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
Stuart wrote: "Still reading 
"You enjoying? Personally, I adored that book. It's bubbling back toward the top of my re-read pile
I am. So far I am enjoying the idea that seems to be developing whereby individuals by following there agendas start to create ripples they probably never intended to....
Random wrote: "I seem to have gotten into a non fiction kick lately, so I've decided to just go with the flow.I'm currently reading
[bookcover:Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum..."
Ooh, how is Dry Storeroom? I've had it on my tbr for a couple years, but have never quite gotten to it.
Lots of people seem to be reading The Snow Queen, I'm curious to what it is like.
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Helen wrote: "Lots of people seem to be reading The Snow Queen, I'm curious to what it is like."It's a very good story, lushly written - the characters are well fleshed out, and the SF World view nicely complex. It's a character driven story, but the ideas are intriguing.
I'd say Dune written by a woman, but that wouldn't fit, because the characters are more down to earth/the concepts aren't the same at all - but the scope and vista - yes. It is not a dystopia...the characters will show dark and light.
Denae wrote: "Random wrote: "[bookcover:Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum..."Ooh, how is Dry Storeroom? I've had it on my tbr for a couple years, but have never quite gotten to it. "
I've only gotten a few chapters in, but so far its pretty good. It may seem dry to some, such as the details of naming, but there's humor there if you know how to look at it.
I'm finishing up Stormlord Rising and distressed to lesarn the final volume won't be out for a couple months; I really like Glenda Larke!! Next up is Diving into the Wreck (I read about it here) and then The Towers of the Sunset
Random wrote: "Denae wrote: "Random wrote: "[bookcover:Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum..."Ooh, how is Dry Storeroom? I've had it on my tbr for a couple years, but have never q..."
Maybe I'll have to bump it up the list.
Janny wrote: "Helen wrote: "Lots of people seem to be reading The Snow Queen, I'm curious to what it is like."It's a very good story, lushly written - the characters are well fleshed out, and the SF World view..."
I read The Snow Queen years ago years ago. Is there some reason for this seeming resurgence?
Chris wrote: "Nothing else matters."
Oh God I know. As soon as my boyfriend finishes it I am dropping everything else in my life.
Helen wrote: "I've just started Time's Edge for another group and I'm totally gripped at the moment."Time's Edge was really good! I just finished it for another group. It definitely hooks you. It's so fast paced but it works.
I plan on reading Wuthering Heights, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, A Dance with Dragons, The House of the Seven Gables, Starship Troopers, The Three Musketeers and maybe Shades of Grey. It's a big list but a few are for a July/August book read.
Mod
Nothing else matters."
Oh God I know. As soon as my boyfriend finishes it I am dropping everything else in my life."
I'm really excited to read this book too, but I'm waiting until he's done with the series. I expect to have more time to read at that point too, as my 4 year old will probably be in college by then.
Stefan wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Chris wrote: "Nothing else matters."
Oh God I know. As soon as my boyfriend finishes it I am dropping everything else in my life."
I'm real..."
If you're waiting for the series to finish, unfortunately you'll probably be waiting a long time. At the end of A Feast for Crows (2005) Martin said he hoped A Dance With Dragons would come out in the next year and it ended up taking 5 years. Though I'm hoping that since the HBO show has been so successful the books will start coming out faster or else the show will catch up too fast.
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Oops, I forgot that I also plan to read Oryx and Crake too :)Stefan, I can definitely understand why you would want to wait. It's frusterating reading such a great story and then having to wait to find out what happened. Luckily I just read the first four in the past few months and I'm hating having to wait 6 weeks between A Feast for Crows and A Dance With Dragons. I can't imagine what it must be like for those readers who read A Game of Thrones when it first came out!
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I picked up Daemon by Daniel Suarez (sorry, Martin fans) and am enjoying it quite a bit. I guess "cyber-thriller" is as good a pigeonhole as any. Fine characters and some good crisp writing. My favourite sentence so far: a group of agency directors have convened in an emergency meeting and "They had already worked together closely in the War on Terror and the War on Drugs, and they stood ready to combat any other noun that caused trouble."
Thanks Janny, it does look good from the blurb I read. Must add it to the TBR pile.I read the first 3 Martins but then decided to wait - hopefully I'll live long enough!
I agree, Jenny, Time's Edge was a great book - I was happily surprised, couldn't put it down.
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I'm with you, Stefan. I'm dying to read the rest of the series but it's just too frustrating to get wrapped up in the world and have to wait...again. I've read the first four, but I'm going to wait until the entire series is finished before going on with it.
So yeah, by the time my boy is in high school or college, sounds about right.
Rereading the Dark Elf Trilogy for Homeland for another group's book of the month read.
Ron wrote: "I picked up Daemon by Daniel Suarez (sorry, Martin fans) and am enjoying it quite a bit. I guess "cyber-thriller" is as good a pigeonhole as any. Fine characters a..."That one has been sitting on my mp3 player for months now. I'm going to have to give in and force myself to start it....one of these days. *sigh*
Patricia wrote: "Janny wrote: "Helen wrote: "Lots of people seem to be reading The Snow Queen, I'm curious to what it is like."It's a very good story, lushly written - the characters are well fleshed out, and the..."
I can't remember why it came to mind when I nominated it, but it's one of the July BoTMs in the Sci Fi & Fantasy club, so that may be part of the reason so many people around here are reading it.
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I resisted mightily as each book came out and my friends in an online bookgroup raved and dissected each one... and I'm so glad I never started the series. I have faithfully bought each book and will buy this one, too, but will not read them until Martin finishes the series. I hope it's before you, Shel, and Stefan have grandchildren!
I have too many BOTM's I bought and have sitting here but will never ever have time for! I did finish The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and am finishing up Midnight Tides, but have Oryx and Crake, The Snow Queen, Royal Assassin,Shades of Grey and The Bonehunters still to get through!
Denae wrote: "Patricia wrote: "Janny wrote: "Helen wrote: "Lots of people seem to be reading The Snow Queen, I'm curious to what it is like."It's a very good story, lushly written - the characters are well fle..."
Denae wrote: "Patricia wrote: "Janny wrote: "Helen wrote: "Lots of people seem to be reading The Snow Queen, I'm curious to what it is like."
It's a very good story, lushly written - the characters are well fle..."
Okay, thanks! Another club for me to check out.
Finished Jupiter's Travels by Ted Simon. Its about a guy who hopped on a Triumph Motorcycle and spent 4 years riding around the world. He didn't get to Canada or USSR (Russia back in 73 when Ted was on riding). The book spent most of his time talking about how he felt instead of telling us what was around him.Also read Doctor Who: The Space Age. Not to bad. Progresses the story about Compassion.
Started on Archangel
This one is about a secret in Russia and gets released.
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Currently reading: Ingathering: The Complete People Stories of Zenna Henderson and Saturn: A Novel of the Ringed Planet. Next up: Shades of Grey and A Clash of Kings. (Yes, I've only read A Game of Thrones so far. But I've read it twice!!!!) I also have Sky Coyote, Bimbos of the Death Sun and House of Suns sitting here next to my reading chair.
Kathi wrote: "I am working my way through Keyes' Age of Unreason series, now in book 3, Empire of Unreason."Those look good, I've had them on my TBR for a long time now.
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Today I started on CryoBurn by Lois McMaster Bujold, as part of a rather late attempt to read all the Hugo nominated novels. After that one, I still have to get to Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis and Feed by Mira Grant. I sincerely doubt anything will knock The Dervish House by Ian McDonald from the top spot for my vote, though.
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I'm trying to read The Dervish House, also in an effort to read all the Hugo nominees. So far I haven't managed to get really interested and since I am reading it on the computer it is slow going.....
Stefan wrote: "I'm really excited to read this book too, but I'm waiting until he's done with the series. I expect to have more time to read at that point too, as my 4 year old will probably be in college by then. "LOL! When the last one came out my little one was still creeping along the furniture (not yet a year old) and now she's going into second grade and reading (easy) chapter books by herself - by the time the next one comes out, she will probably have sneaked a read of the previous books in the series unless we hide the books from her!
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That was my favorite SF novel of last year, Marty, but I can see that it's not for everyone.
I tore through Cryoburn in one day, and am now starting
Sword of Fire and Sea by Erin Hoffman while still nibbling on the various Hugo-nominated short-form works.
The Dervish House is a fine book ... if I were voting I'd be hard-pressed to choose between it and Feed.
Snail in Danger (Sid) wrote: "The Dervish House is a fine book ... if I were voting I'd be hard-pressed to choose between it and Feed."Feed is as interesting as any zombie book I've read (although I guess I've only read 3 and mostly try to avoid them.) Although I am still not thinking it will get my vote.
Yeah, I'm mostly not a zombie person but there are a few zombie books that are really good. (The ones that are about how people deal with crisis situations, rather than the ones that are strictly gratuitous gore.)
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Beyond Reality
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I'm taking a break from the Beyond Reality selections this month, but I'll be back for 'C.J. Cherryh' month in August!
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.