What are you reading?

[slym2none]

"Starshield Sentinels" by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
A good effort in space-faring fantasy/sci-fi by the team that brought us many great D&D-based books.

"Mystery" by Peter Straub
I really liked this book. Straub writes like Stephen King at times, but it's not aping. And it's only at times, the rest he is his own writer, and he's good.

"Assumed Identity" by David Morrell
A slick spy novel, where the antagonist has to use his own identity instead of one of the many covers he's used over the years, and finds out he doesn't know who he really is.

"Dark Maze" by David Adcock
This is a good crime-noir style book. A quick read, it stays just shy of being more Mickey Spillaine than a Mickey Spillaine story.

"A Small Death In Lisbon" by Robert Wilson
This was a really good book. It sets you up with two different stories, one starting in Nazi Germany, that end up coming together in the here-and-now to solve the murder of a young girl in Lisbon.

"Primary Inversion" by Catherine Asano
What a great book this was - hard science/speculative fiction combined with an author that makes you care about her characters. It's definitely a set-up for at least a sequel, if not a trilogy, with a small Romeo-and-Juliet aspect to it.

 

[Zekk]

Finished that fantasy book yesterday. Now I'm reading "Deaths Excellent Vacation.". It's a collection of short stories about paranormals going on vacation, I felt like something light and since it is October why not? Library books are free, and free is good.

 

[Homercidal]

You liking the sequels? I read the first trilogy and loved it at first, last stuff started losing me though. Still good.

I thought all three were very interesting. There was a kind of a slowdown, but overall I think he keeps the pace up nicely.

Interesting, so the gunslingers are just coinshots (to just pick one)?

Its a good thing Sanderson is such a prolific/fast writer. After reading Words of Radiance, then going to pick up Mistborn, I am really interested in the direction he takes the Stormlight archive. If you only read the two books out in the Stormlight archive you think "oh, Sanderson doesn't have cajones to kill characters". Considering the sort of stuff that happens 1/3rd the way through Mistborn, I'll bet the 3rd book in the Stormlight archive will get crazy as well.

It seems certain people have 1 Allomantic Power and/or 1 Feruchemist power. But they use guns. And have to try to deflect the bullets with their Allomantic powers, or they might come across the rare and expensive Aluminum bullet which they cannot affect directly.

But yeah, coinshots AND guns.

He does a good job of introducing new abilities and interesting ways of using them. And there is a love interest as well who is interesting, but who will probably die later, just because.

The cool thing is that this book seems a bit lighter than the others so far. The main character and his buddy have a constant witty repartee that I like.

 

[Homercidal]

Forgot to add that it's so far in the future that a Mistborn is nothing more than a myth. In fact, having more than 2 powers is pretty much a myth.

I suspect that will change along the way somehow...

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Slowly working my way through Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

When you're done, find some Heinlein. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress is a good place to start.

His political philosophy and his writing are both much better than Rand

 

[m1k3]

Practical Religion
Ryle, J. C. (John Charles), 1816-1900.

 

[SquidPope]

When you're done, find some Heinlein. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress is a good place to start.

His political philosophy and his writing are both much better than Rand

Or "Beggars In Spain" by Nancy Kress, another good one. Haven't read the other books in the series yet though.

 

[AQUILAS]

The just caught up with all the new Star Wars comics and am going to start reading the new books, Lost Stars and Aftermath. Actually, I have to finish up Tarkin.

 

[slym2none]

Just finished a 750-page Clancy novel, "No Remorse". Already 100 pages into an Alex Delaware novel.

 

[Devon]

I'm about 3/4 through For Whom The Bell Tolls by Hemmingway. It's a good book, but I don't find myself falling into it or anything.

 

[jcoxen]

When you're done, find some Heinlein. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress is a good place to start.

His political philosophy and his writing are both much better than Rand

This is truth! And follow The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress up with Starship Troopers. There was a POS movie of the same name that came out some years ago. DO NOT confuse the two.

 

[hunter_le five]

This is truth! And follow The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress up with Starship Troopers. There was a POS movie of the same name that came out some years ago. DO NOT confuse the two.

I actually enjoyed the movie quite a bit, but it barely even resembles the book.

One is a socio-political essay disguised as a science fiction novel.

The other is a campy sci-fi action movie that merely borrows the title, some character names, and a few vague plot points at the beginning before quickly diverging entirely into something utterly unrecognizable. Apparently the film's director claims to have never finished the book, but I'm not convinced he made it past the first chapter. But the film appears the satirize the very concepts that the novel promotes, so in a way it's actually a counterpoint to the novel, rather than an earnest film adaptation.

I thoroughly enjoyed them both, but for VERY different reasons.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Finally started Dune, approximately 100 pages in (mass market paper back).

So two things.

1. Only 100 pages in and I can say fairly certainly that the movie does not do it justice at all.

2. Loving the mixture of high and low tech.

 

[Homercidal]

Just finished Alloy of Law, by Sanderson. Need another book. Not sure what I want this time. I've got plenty of Brooks fantasy series I could get back into. I just got done with the prequel trilogy, so I could maybe hit up some of the other Shannara books.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Just finished Alloy of Law, by Sanderson. Need another book. Not sure what I want this time. I've got plenty of Brooks fantasy series I could get back into. I just got done with the prequel trilogy, so I could maybe hit up some of the other Shannara books.

I enjoyed it, but liked the original mistborn triolgy better. It is cool what he did with the powers though. Stormlight Archive is awesome, cant wait for the next, the reckoners books are a pretty cool take on 'superheroes' and the main character is kinda funny because he cant tell a simile or metaphor to save his life.

I am trying to figure out a book to read now myself. I just started The Forever War by Joe Haldeman, but am not sure if I want to stick with it or not yet.

 

[Homercidal]

I decided on The Martian, because I want to see the movie soon, and I could just download this "free" right to my phone, so when I took the kid to dance and had 45 minutes to kill, I decided to see what I could download.

BAM! 2 minutes later I'm starting Chapter 1!

 

[MrFeltimo]

I'm enjoying it very much.

Beer the comic book.

I too am reading this, its fun.
I've never been into comics much and my kids are always requesting me to read them one at night time, so the wife bought me this as its something I'm interested in...

 

[SquidPope]

I decided on The Martian

Is it good so far? I've been on my library's eBook waiting list for a couple of weeks now to read it, and holding off on seeing the movie until I do.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I really enjoyed it. Kind of wish it were longer.

 

[FatDragon]

Just picked up "The Plot Against America" by Philip Roth. I'm through the first part and already want to find a statue of Lindbergh and deface it. I left it on the shelf for years and now I wonder why I waited so long - it's like reading a Potok novel, only if he were non-practicing and had a subtle sense of humor. I'll still take Potok over Roth most days, but they're both pretty dang good.

 

[Homercidal]

Is it good so far? I've been on my library's eBook waiting list for a couple of weeks now to read it, and holding off on seeing the movie until I do.

It's pretty good. The writing style is a bit different from what I'm used to. It's more modern and straight forward with lots of dialogue directed at the reader (as to be expected when reading mostly journal entries.)

I've been enjoying the things he does to try to survive with his engineering background, and what NASA is doing to get in touch with him and rescue him.

Plenty of that to go yet. I'm at the point where NASA discovered he is still alive.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I just found The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CO7FLFG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
I'm about 1/2 way through it at the moment & I'm liking it quite a bit. I really like the author's style of writing & the story is told in a different way; I don't want to say too much, cuz it'll give away the twist, but so far, it's DEFINITELY worth reading.
Regards, GF.

 

[slym2none]

I am currently reading my first Jack Reacher novel by Lee Childs.

He uses "and" WAYYY too much. I get that he's going for something when he does it - he just does it too much. Minor pet peeve, that. Otherwise, so far, not bad.

 

[hunter_le five]

The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. The Blade Itself, Before they are Hanged, and currently Last Argument of Kings.

It's no GoT, but it's pretty darn good. Plus, no waiting on books that may or may not ever come to get closure.

 

[Rhetorik]

The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. The Blade Itself, Before they are Hanged, and currently Last Argument of Kings.

It's no GoT, but it's pretty darn good. Plus, no waiting on books that may or may not ever come to get closure.

I liked that series. It was pretty enjoyable.

I'm currently reading Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. Read the first two when I was younger, but never finished the set. So I've started it again from the beginning.

 

[Auger]

I recently read the first Book of Deacon in the series by Joseph Lallo. Really entertaining, just haven't had time to get into the next book. Also recently read The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was really good. I read an abridged version in middle school and figured it was past time I read the real thing. Way better, obviously.

 

[Zekk]

Just started Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore. So far so good. Pretty much fits all the expectations for a book by him.

Just finished Dance with Dragons. Getting to the point with this series where I just want the next book to be the last. Actually the last, not just because GRRM dies.

 

[hunter_le five]

Just started Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore. So far so good. Pretty much fits all the expectations for a book by him.

I'm about halfway through that one. Loving it so far.

 

[beergolf]

Just started Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore. So far so good. Pretty much fits all the expectations for a book by him.

Just finished Dance with Dragons. Getting to the point with this series where I just want the next book to be the last. Actually the last, not just because GRRM dies.

That was the first Christopher Moore book I read. I think I have read all of his books. sometimes I just want something easy to read. Fun easy stuff.

Another fun easy read is anything by Carl Hiaasen. Funny stuff.

Nice break for the academic stuff I have to read all the time for work.

 

[BadLiver]

Trying Fountainhead for the first time. This Ayn Rand sure knows how to write!

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Trying Fountainhead for the first time. This Ayn Rand sure knows how to write!

If you like that one, you'll love Atlas Shrugged.
Regards, GF.

 

[Homercidal]

Almost halfway through the Shannara series. I'm reading each one in chronological order. Kid and I are watching the new MTV (yes, MTV) series based on the books. Got me thinking about when I read the original trilogy back when I was young.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I recently finished the "Red Mars" trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson.

Very well done. It's sci-fi, but it's got great, three-dimensional characters, the plot actually seems realistic, and well there are some advanced technologies employed, they're not used as "deus ex machina" quick fixes to get characters out of a jam.

Highly recommended.

 

[Zekk]

Almost halfway through the Shannara series. I'm reading each one in chronological order. Kid and I are watching the new MTV (yes, MTV) series based on the books. Got me thinking about when I read the original trilogy back when I was young.

Just started watching the series too. I have the first book on hold at the library, should have it in a few more weeks. Does it follow the books or is it like GoT?

 

[Rhetorik]

I recently finished "All the light we cannot see" by Anthony Doerr; I can't recommend it enough. Fantastic book.

For fantasy (since lots of folks here seem to enjoy the genre), I'm assuming most of you are familiar with Patrick Rothfuss' books; the first being Name of the Wing. One of the best authors in the genre in recent years.

I also finished Neil Gaiman's latest (I think?) book recently, The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Good read.

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

I needed something light to read and found Marc Maron's Attempting Normal on Kindle for $1.99. I'm about 5 chapters in and it's great so far!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B3GMPFS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[slym2none]

Just started watching the series too. I have the first book on hold at the library, should have it in a few more weeks. Does it follow the books or is it like GoT?

Well, the show starts off based on the second book. Then, yeah, it's based on the book, with lots added & expanded for the show.

 

[passedpawn]

Trying Fountainhead for the first time. This Ayn Rand sure knows how to write!

Yep, I liked that one. Not a fan of the scene (on a train I think) where Roark more or less rapes Dominique. Rand was odd in her way of creating submissive female characters (although, if you get to Atlas Shrugged you find that Dagny Taggert is not submissive).

Rand loved the idea of an ubermensch. It's always a guy. He's ideal, not affected by the looters of the world in the media and in politics. I think certain people are drawn to this. I know I was.

If I could name two authors who created the way I think today, I'd say Ayn Rand and Victor Hugo - yin and yang. I read Atlas Shrugged twice, and I think I'll do it once more before I croak. I've read Les Miserables 3 times, and I hope to knock it out once more, but I'm going to finish Hunchback finally (started it twice, never finished).

 

[pointcity-homebrew]

Also reading the Shannara series. So far so good.