What Else Are You Reading - July 2011 Edition

[Veronica, Supreme Sword]

Reading Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories about People Who Know How They Will Die, which is awesome.

[Paul]

Veronica wrote: "Reading Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories about People Who Know How They Will Die, which is awesome."

I've been looking at that, it does seem interesting.

I seem to have slowed down a little little. Currently reading The Broken Kingdoms, Cat's Cradle and The Rise of Endymion, with my immediate queue being The Devil in the White City, Shades of Grey, Whitehawk, Equations of Life, The Tipping Point and American Gods as a re-read.

[Amy]

Also reading Machine of Death. Should finish it tomorrow. I submitted a story to volume 2 this week and am doing my best not to think about it until the October "everyone finds out who got picked" date. Finished Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void and read all of The Sword-Edged Blonde today, because it's Canada Day and I didn't have to go to work. ^^

Next up is Naamah's Blessing, with The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World as my next non-fiction.

I'm going to try to fit in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children before the 12th as well. Because after the 12th, it's going to be A Dance with Dragons for at least a week. Then I'll probably grab something really fluffy to read after all that epic epicness. lol Or maybe a reread to really cleanse my reading palette.

[Anne]

I just finished Machine of Death: Kurzgeschichten as well and loved it. Now I'm back to my quest of reading all the Jane Austen novels and in the middle of Persuasion

[Kevin]

I'm reading The Great Partition:The Making of India and Pakistan by Yasmin Khan. This past year I started traveling to India for business so I'm trying to learn more about their history and culture.

[Kris]

I reading some none fiction right now. Two books on military history (a hobby of mine) then need to figure out what is next.

[Tamahome]

Anne wrote: "I just finished Machine of Death: Kurzgeschichten as well and loved it. Now I'm back to my quest of reading all the Jane Austen novels and in the middle of Persuasion"

Have you seen that movie The Jane Austen Book Club?

[Anne]

Tamahome wrote: "Have you seen that movie The Jane Austen Book Club?"

No, not yet. Should I?

[Tamahome]

Anne wrote: "Tamahome wrote: "Have you seen that movie The Jane Austen Book Club?"

No, not yet. Should I?"

Definitely, if you're a fan.

[Aeryn98]

While I wait for ADWD I am reading The Tragedy of Arthur, by Arthur Phillips and the Broken Kingdoms.
And I just started listening to Hyperion.

I liked the Jane Austen Book Club, but preferred Becoming Jane. Loved that movie!

[Brian]

Around 75% done with The Passage. After that, will likely read Catching Fire.

[Nevan]

I'm working my way through The World: Travels 1950-2000, while reading How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe. Sword and Laser is such great advertisement for novels!

I'll be picking up Flashback tomorrow, and on the twelfth, of course, A Dance with Dragons.

[Sea]

Going serious and reading In The Plex: How Google Thinks Works and Shapes Our Lives. About half way through and so far, so good. It's got a nice balance between the tech and the interpersonal stuff.

[terpkristin]

Finished reading A Feast for Crows. :) Now I'm ready for A Dance with Dragons to come out. While I wait, I'm either going to listen to More Information Than You Require or Something Borrowed...yeah, I'm looking for something super-light. :)

[Dev]

Listening to Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter and reading Skullduggery Pleasent Book 2

[Kate]

I found Red Seas Under Red Skies, the second Gentlemen Bastards book, in the second hand bookshop yesterday.
It starts off slow but I got hooked in around the 100 page mark, unfortunately that was about 11.30pm so I ended up stayed up til 2am reading.

[Been]

Just finished Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories about People Who Know How They Will Die and absolutely loved it (Thanks for reminding me about it Veronica).

Now I'm in a bit of a conundrum about what to do before A Dance with Dragons is released. I don't want to start anything I wouldn't be able to finish before release... I may end up starting another classic shorter story to tide me over. I'm thinking maybe Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Lately I've finished The Edible Woman, Margaret Atwood's first novel, written in the late 60s and a feminist classic. Also finished Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks, but I almost feel like I can't have an opinion about it until I read the next Culture book (you can read my review of it to see what I liked and what I was uncertain of.

I'm still listening to the third Dark Tower book, but am currently absorbed in The Lonely Polygamist, which has really interesting characters, and so far I'd recommend it even if you don't watch Big Love and Sister Wives like I do. *grin*

[Sean]

Currently on Book Girl and the Famished Spirit by Mizuki Nomura, about a goblin who eats books and critiques their flavor.

[Pickle]

if i ever get to the end of The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams, I have a few i look forward to reading:

In no particular order:

1) A Scanner Darkly - Philip k Dick
2) Anno Dracula - Kim Newman
3) The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder

[Kevin]

Pickle wrote: "if i ever get to the end of The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams, I have a few i look forward to reading:

In no particular order:

1) A Scanner Darkly - Philip k Dick
2) Anno Dracula - Kim Newman
..."

I just love A Scanner Darkly, hope you feel the same way after you read it.

[Richard]

Pickle wrote: "if i ever get to the end of The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams, I have a few i look forward to reading:

In no particular order:

1) A Scanner Darkly - Philip k Dick
2) Anno Dracula - Kim Newman
..."

I loved Anno Dracula by Kim Newman. It has lots of references to characters from Victorian England: Jack the Ripper and Jekyll/Hyde, etc. Also loved the sequel, The Bloody Red Baron

[Blindman]

Just discovered Hounded great book from the "Dresden" school, about a druid and his dog. On top of that a had a bit of a Gibson turn and started reading Spook Country, not sure what to make of it yet.

[Richard]

Blindman wrote: "Just discovered Hounded great book from the "Dresden" school, about a druid and his dog. On top of that a had a bit of a Gibson turn and started reading Spook Country, ..."

Never heard of Hounded until you mentioned, but it looks pretty cool. Putting that one on my to-read list.

[Mike]

Yeah, I saw Hounded at B&N the other week and it looks pretty good. Apparently, the next two books are already out (the third came out today, in fact), so I'm guessing the author, Kevin Hearne, didn't get a publishing deal till well after he'd written the first book.

I've just started Warehouse 13: A Touch of Fever by Greg Cox, in anticipation of the new season (which starts next Monday).

[Richard]

Mike wrote: "Yeah, I saw Hounded at B&N the other week and it looks pretty good. Apparently, the next two books are already out (the third came out today, in fact), so I'm guessing the author, Kevin Hearne, did..."

That is interesting in regards to comparing Hearne to Jim Butcher. I thought that Butcher had the first 2-3 Dresden books completed when he got his publishing deal. I think Storm Front, Fool Moon, and Grave Peril were published between April 2000 and Sept 2001.

[Andreas]

Uhm, maybe slightly off topic because it is:
"What else would i read"

I would read Eriksons Malazan cycle if i could find it in form of Audiobooks. Does anybody here knows of any available??

[Dan]

Finally finished The Name of the Wind, which I really enjoyed. Thank you all for the recommendation.) It started out as a book I only listened to in the car, but I started bringing in the house and then bought the paper book when I really wanted to finish it over the last couple weeks.

I'll hopefully have Mockingjay done and a reread of A Feast for Crows in time for the new GRRM next week.

[John]

Just finished Subterranean by James Rollins. Took a lot of suspension of belief (even for a scifi fan) but it was a quick, fun read. Perfect for a summer day.

I just downloaded Rule 34 by Charles Stross. Not that jazzed to read a whole book written in second person narrative but so far you think it's pretty good.

[Don]

Just finished The Heroes, not as good as BSC, and Catching Fire. Started Mockingjay and A Clash of Kings, have to keep ahead of the HBO series.

[Tamahome]

John wrote: "Just finished Subterranean by James Rollins. Took a lot of suspension of belief (even for a scifi fan) but it was a quick, fun read. Perfect for a summer day."

Jonathan Wood says James Rollins is 'pulp sf': http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2011...

[Richard]

Don wrote: "Just finished The Heroes, not as good as BSC, and Catching Fire. Started Mockingjay and A Clash of Kings, have to keep ahead of the HBO ser..."

I also thought that The Heroes was my least favorite Abercrombie book to date. The story centered around the battle wasn't that compelling to me, though I did have a strong interest in 2 of the characters. I loved the trilogy and Best Served Cold.

[Boots]

I just finished The Help and just started The Well of Ascension.

[John]

Tamahome wrote: "Jonathan Wood says James Rollins is 'pulp sf':

Yes! Pulp is a exactly how I would describe it. Reminded me of reading Tom Swift back when I was a knee high to a grasshopper.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I finished listening to The Waste Lands yesterday, which was fantastic. Seriously, if you haven't read The Dark Tower, it is completely worth it. Each book has gotten better and better and full of unexpected bits. Since the fourth book wasn't available through my library's audiobook loaner program (Overdrive), I downloaded Little Brother by Cory Doctorow to listen to, and the reader has a great sarcastic tone that sounds like it will do well for W1n5t0n.

I'm also on a bit of a poetry spree - read The Door by Margaret Atwood yesterday, and have a small stack of other volumes to read through this weekend.

[Curt]

Just finished Robopocalypse. Fantastic book!! Has taken some criticism for being a knock off of WWZ, but I found it different in many ways. Let's just say that if you liked WWZ you are going to like this. The author actually has a background in robotics which made it a bit more believable. On to The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine. Have been meaning to read this for a long time, along with Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street. I know it is not either "Sword" or "Laser" but really gripping just the same. Have started to read a lot on economics journals lately, with a focus on the Austrian School,so The Big Short seemed appropriate. Besides, have to fill in reading until DWD gets delivered, soon.

[Jason]

I just finished A Fire upon the Deep. I loved the setting and worldbuilding, though the characters and plot were a little lackluster. Still worth it overall.

Currently I'm reading SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes And Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance, though I'll put that on hold the instant that A Dance with Dragons comes out.

[Michael]

Just finished Broken Angels, which was rather disappointing because of the no-stakes superhero protagonist and the tiresome long-winded fight scenes.
I abandoned Spin, because it seems to be mainly about the characters and the books just didn't manage to make me care about them.
I am still contemplating with which book to continue, either Oryx and Crake or Fearless the second book in The Lost Fleet series, which started rather promising.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Michael wrote: "Just finished Broken Angels, which was rather disappointing because of the no-stakes superhero protagonist and the tiresome long-winded fight scenes.
I abandoned Spin, b..."
Oryx and Crake!

[Kev]

Just finished The Snow Queen's Shadow by Jim Hines, and am reading The Messiah Secret now.

[Mike]

I'm reading The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson. Pretty good so far.

[Tim]

I just put The Windup Girl back on my listening device and am struck again by the richness of the world and its pervasive malaise. This book is the Book of Revelation for the Eco-Religion.

I am considering another S&L backlog book, Joe Haldeman's The Forever War after I'm done with TWG.

[Michael]

I'm reading The Devil in the White City for the Lazy Side Book Club podcast (they advertised on The Morning Stream). Not really sword & laser but pretty interesting so far.

Otherwise I'm slogging through H.P. Lovecraft: The Fiction Complete and Unabridged . Lovecraftian mythology is pretty fascinating, but it's always tough to read an author's entire works in one go.

[Tim]

Sodon wrote: "I'm reading The Devil in the White City for the Lazy Side Book Club podcast (they advertised on The Morning Stream). Not really sword & laser but pretty interesting so far.

Otherwise ..."

I may have to get that Lovecraft one. I'm running a game right now set in the Dresden Files universe and have created a zone of the Nevernever out of Lovecrafts's Nightmare Lands, though I've never read them.

[Elie]

Just finished an old Doc Savage novel Murder Melody. It was OK. Shame the Doc Savage novels aren't available in ebook format, however.

Next up, I'm starting tonight The Storm Guardians by Stephen Zimmer. It is book 2 in an urban fantasy series. Book 1 was really terrific and his stories are really epic. His books are really underappreciated. If you like great depth of character and urban fantasy, you really need to check out his stuff.

[Kate]

I have spent the week archive binging at www.shadowunit.org which is a shared-universe-made-for-the-internet serial about a division of the FBI's BAU who solve 'anomalous' crimes. Think Criminal Minds meets The X-Files. It's insanely addictive.

It's produced by Emma Bull, Elizabeth Bear and some other wonderful writers and it's been a totally necessary distraction for me in what has been an otherwise terrible week.

[Leavey]

I've just finished By the Mountain Bound by Elizabeth Bear, wich I liked a lot. Even if it was a bit weird and depressing.
Now I'm rereading American Gods until Dance arrives.

[Craig]

Before leaving for foreign lands, I got a few Kindle books for my iPad. Currently, I'm enjoying The Dervish House. I'm enjoying the book and the iPad reading experience so far.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Craig wrote: "Before leaving for foreign lands, I got a few Kindle books for my iPad. Currently, I'm enjoying The Dervish House. I'm enjoying the book and the iPad reading experience so far."
Please say you're reading The Dervish House in Turkey!

[Anton Strout]

I'm about to jump into A Discovery of Witcheswhich all my friends are going gaga over as an adult Harry Potter. Keeping along those lines, I also have The Magician Kingready to read, but perhaps I should bump that forward as Lev and I are on a panel together next week at San Diego Comic Con and I can steal all his good ideas before then!