What are you reading in February 2012?

[Candiss]

I finished (and loved) Dawn, so I moved on to The Fifth Head Of Cerberus. I don't know what it is, but I simply can not seem to get into a Gene Wolfe book. I did not enjoy Soldier of the Mist but saw it through to the end. I hoped I'd like this one better, as I know I should like Wolfe's writing. But I couldn't get in to it. Frankly, I kept dozing off while reading. So I've put it aside. Perhaps I'll come back to it when I'm in a different mood. Perhaps The Shadow of the Torturer would suit me better? I do enjoy a good, tortured (heh) anti-hero from time to time. (I get a weird case of Reader's Guilt if I don't feel like I give a well-respected author a fair chance.)

So...I'm moving along to 1Q84, punctuated by selections from Her Smoke Rose Up Forever. I'm not going to stress about how fast I read the rest of the month. I want to savor both of these books, and if I finish only one of them by March 1st, so be it. I'll start on The Scar as soon as I see a good opening for it.

[Nick]

Candiss wrote: "I finished (and loved) Dawn, so I moved on to The Fifth Head Of Cerberus. I don't know what it is, but I simply can not seem to get into a Gene Wolfe book. I did not en..."

Ambition without stress. Candiss, how do you do it. "The Fifth Head of Cerberus" -- the original novella which preceeded the book, was one of my first science fiction reads, and it got me hooked, so I have a soft place in the heart for it. I, too, did not get into Soldier of the Mist so much. But I rocked out to The Shadow of the Torturer when it came along and did that sitting-on-the-edge thing waiting for each successive installment of the series to come out. I don't know why, because the "Torturer" and the "Soldier" books are sort of flip sides of each other. I think for Wolfe you just have to be in a certain mindspace. But congratulations on your upcoming reads!

[Sandra]

Candiss wrote: "I finished (and loved) Dawn, so I moved on to The Fifth Head Of Cerberus. I don't know what it is, but I simply can not seem to get into a Gene Wolfe book. I did not en..."

OMG I hated the Shadow of the Torturer and will never read another Gene Wolfe book, although I know he is practically a GOD in fantasy circles, I loathe his intellectual glossiness.

[Helen]

Sandra, I know what you mean. Mum doesn't like animals which I can get round because she is mum. BUT, she doesn't read either, doesn't see the point. Talks right over atmosphere, world-making etc!

I am reading Rise of Empire, this is a republished version that contains book 3 & 4 of the Riyria series, decided that as I read the first two in their original one book format, I'm going to read something else between these.

[Snail in Danger (Sid)]

This thread is making me feel better that I've never been able to really appreciate Wolfe's work. I haven't tried much of it, I admit, but what I have hasn't worked for me.

[Kevin]

Reading Snow Crash, then onto Daughter of the Blood, Dawn and the Accident.

[Stefan, Group Founder + Moderator (Retired)]

I think Wolfe just works out for some people and not for others. No big deal. Very few authors are beloved by every single reader out there. I'm in the camp that considers him brilliant, mainly because of Book of the New Sun, The Wizard Knight, and his short fiction, but I no longer try to convince people of his genius because, hey, if you don't like a book, it's no skin off my back :)

[Snail in Danger (Sid)]

Yes, I'm well aware that not every book is right for every reader — but when an author is appreciated by so many people whose opinion I think is worth listening to, I feel bad when I can't appreciate whatever it is that they see in the book. (Unless I can articulate a specific problem, of course.)

[Sandra]

Snail in Danger (Sid) wrote: "Yes, I'm well aware that not every book is right for every reader — but when an author is appreciated by so many people whose opinion I think is worth listening to, I feel bad when I can't app..."

Why isn't your own experience enough? I can see why others appreciate him, like I can see why others like Malazan. I don't like either. I thought Wolfe was misogynistic and the protagonist was so repulsive I didn't want to bother continuing to read. No doubt his writing is beautifully wrought, but not enough for me to swallow the rest of it. As for Erikson, I think you have to be a gamer to appreciate his stuff. When I read a book I have to care about the characters enough to want to know what will happen to them. Neither of those authors created that experience for me, and both of them write about things that are graphically violent and horrifying. Who needs it?

[Stefan, Group Founder + Moderator (Retired)]

Snail in Danger (Sid) wrote: "...when an author is appreciated by so many people whose opinion I think is worth listening to, I feel bad when I can't appreciate whatever it is that they see in the book. (Unless I can articulate a specific problem, of course.) "

Oh goodness no, definitely don't feel bad. Wolfe is pretty hard to get into as it is. It's dense stuff. He makes you work for it. He's one of those authors where people write books about his books, you know? Also, his characters tend to be kind of remote, cerebral, and often hard to empathize with. Misogynistic I don't see at all, but that's probably just me.

[Nick]

Snail in Danger (Sid) wrote: "Yes, I'm well aware that not every book is right for every reader — but when an author is appreciated by so many people whose opinion I think is worth listening to, I feel bad when I can't app..."

I understand what you mean. Kevin is starting Snow Crash which is a book I loathed enough to throw it against the wall without finishing. I finished The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer, but did not enjoy it any better. And yet, I enjoyed this group's read of Anathem -- so I'm not a complete Stephenson basher. But it is difficult when so many whose opinions you admire go on and on about someone you'd rather not deal with. Go figure.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

I'm another who will not read anymore Wolfe. I read one of his series, The Book of the New Sun, and I really didn't like it. Kept reading till I finished it because so many people recommended it so highly, but it's not for me.

There are too many other books out there for me to read to waste time on something I don't enjoy. No desire to try anything else by him.

So, what am I reading in Feb? I'm in the middle of CryoBurn and then I'm returning to Brust with book 2 in the Vlad series.

[Kevin]

Nick wrote: "Snail in Danger (Sid) wrote: "Yes, I'm well aware that not every book is right for every reader — but when an author is appreciated by so many people whose opinion I think is worth listening to, I ..."

I know what you mean. Stephenson is a hit or miss with me. I hated/not finish his longer books: Cryptonomicon, Anathem, and Quicksilver, but I loved or finished his other books, and read them with joy.

[Shel, Moderator]

I have never read Gene Wolfe, and have been meaning to for a long time, just to see what he's all about - he seems to inspire strong feelings on either side of the spectrum. I've never spoken to anyone who is indifferent, people seem to love him or hate him.

I'm on the second volume of Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began. I'm on February break this week (hooray!) and hoping to have some real reading time...when I finish Maus I think I'm going to dive back into Athera with Traitor's Knot :)

[Jenny]

Nick wrote: "I can't find a copy of The Scar locally and my bookbuying budget does not allow for it, so I'm on to -- finally, at long, long last -- Foundation and The Gods Themse..."</i>

I hope you like [book:Foundation! I still have Foundation and Earth and Forward the Foundation to read but I love the whole series.

[Kevin]

Jenny wrote: "Nick wrote: "I can't find a copy of The Scar locally and my bookbuying budget does not allow for it, so I'm on to -- finally, at long, long last -- Foundation and [book:Th..."

I only have the last two books in the Foundation timeline to read, Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth. I just got Foundation's Edge in hardcover about a month ago, so hopeful I will get to it soon.

[Bookbrow]

For a topic far away from Wolfe and Stephenson, I devoured The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins which I really enjoyed. I followed the hunger games by visiting one of my old faves Robert Silverberg and one of his earlier books Time Great Freeze. After struggling with a couple of books in January I seem to be back in pleasing territory.

[Kerry]

It's been a long, long haul, but I've finally finished Ship of Destiny. I'm now trying to decide if I go straight into Archangel for this group (especially since I nominated it) or if I jump into Celebrity in Death for a quick change of pace first (I can usually read a J.D. Robb book in about 24 hours).

[Dawn]

Just finished The Name of the Wind which I thoroughly enjoyed!

Next up is DuneI have never read it go figure

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Finished Yendi, didn't like it as much as Jhereg (a bit too much talking as the plot(s) were unraveled but loved the courtship between Cawti and Vlad! 7/10 stars

[Stefan, Group Founder + Moderator (Retired)]

I feel that the other two books in the omnibus (after Jhereg) are some of the weaker parts in the series. It gets really good after that, I think.

I'm reading Arctic Rising by Tobias S. Buckell, a really fun near-future environmental techno-thriller with a great kick-ass female protagonist. Fun novel.

[Maggie]

I just finished Yendi as well, and now am juggling The Scar, The Crippled God and Moon Over Soho. I figure those 3 should cover MOST of my moods!
next up is The Windup Girl

[Ken]

Finished up In Shade and Shadow. It wasn't too bad.

Started up on Mar book of the Month The Scar

[Bill]

I just started The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R. Delany. Most impressed as usual with Chip's work.

[Bookbrow]

Actually a very good month as I have read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Time Great Freeze by Robert Silverberg and now have started Spindrift by Allen Steele. The actual title of the Silverberg novel is Time of the Great Freeze.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Went out of genre for a quick read of Merlin's Keep, which turned out to be better than I expected. Now reading Teckla.

[Shel, Moderator]

I finished Traitor's Knot within a week - EXCELLENT time for me these days (being on February vacation from school with the baby in daycare for two days and visiting in-laws to watch him the rest of the time helped!). I was going to read something else afterwards for a break but I couldn't wait and started Stormed Fortress last night...back in school now so it'll probably take me much longer to read this one....

[Sandra]

Shel wrote: "I finished Traitor's Knot within a week - EXCELLENT time for me these days (being on February vacation from school with the baby in daycare for two days and visiting in-laws to watch h..."

That's great! You'll be exhausted after this one. Exhausted from all the tension and exhilaration, I mean, and in a good sense.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Finished Teckla and then went out of genre again for While My Pretty One Sleeps and Neanderthal. First book in March will be Reincarnation of Peter Proud. I'm reading some stand-alones that have been in my library for years while I try to decide whether to continue the Vlad Taltos series and before I read the next Honor Harrington book.