Author Topic: What are you reading? (Read 1059475 times)

Umbrageofsnow · **Reply #2100 on:** February 15, 2012, 07:00:20 PM

I've never posted in this thread before, but might as well start...

I've just finished my marathon read of the 2011 Asimov's, Analog, F&SF, and Interzone stories that I meant to read but didn't get around to when I got the magazines over the course of the year.

I'd say Asimov's unseated F&SF as my favorite print magazine this year (can't beat Clarkesworld for E-zines). It is interesting to note that my top short stories from both were podcast by EscapePod/PodCastle: Nancy Fulda's Movement and Ken Liu's Paper Menagerie. I guess I like stories that induce tears this year.

Now I'm moving on to a couple anthologies I bought. I read about a third of Datlow's Supernatural Noir on the plane yesterday. This disrupts my usual pattern of using that time to read the couple of novels I ever get around to, but I was enjoying Supernatural Noir more than I'd expected. Which is weird, because most of the individual stories I've read so far range from mediocre to good-but-not-great.

Devoted135 · **Reply #2101 on:** February 15, 2012, 08:58:41 PM

Haven't posted here in a while because I've been reading some historical fiction that seemed less relevant to this forum.

Currently reading Inheritance by Christopher Paolini. It's the fourth/final book in the series, and I'm enjoying it so far. He still channels Tolkien and other influential authors during the descriptive sections but overall I'd say that he improved as an author over the course of the series. Plus, it's a fun quick read.

DKT · **Reply #2102 on:** February 22, 2012, 09:34:39 PM

I'm in the middle of reading and listening to a pair of cool books I need to share with you all:

Leviathan Wakes, by James S.A. Corey (who is actually Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck), is a big, fun, space opera turned up to 11. GRRM called it "kick-ass" in a blurb, and I'm going to be so sad when I finish reading it. Those of you wishing for some awesome and fun SF - I can't recommend it enough.

I'm currently listening to Daryl Gregory's Raising Stony Mayhall - it's a zombie coming of age story and is one of those books that feels like it's been part of my life for a long time (and I'm not even through it yet). It's charming, funny, and sweet, and I'm sure it'll make me weep by the time I'm done with it.

Talia · **Reply #2103 on:** February 26, 2012, 01:10:19 AM

Saladin Ahmed's first novel, 'Throne of the Crescent Moon,' is out! Reading it right now. Pretty good so far.

Sandikal · **Reply #2104 on:** February 26, 2012, 05:20:36 AM

Quote from: DKT on February 22, 2012, 09:34:39 PM

I'm in the middle of reading and listening to a pair of cool books I need to share with you all:

Leviathan Wakes, by James S.A. Corey (who is actually Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck), is a big, fun, space opera turned up to 11. GRRM called it "kick-ass" in a blurb, and I'm going to be so sad when I finish reading it. Those of you wishing for some awesome and fun SF - I can't recommend it enough.

I'm currently listening to Daryl Gregory's Raising Stony Mayhall - it's a zombie coming of age story and is one of those books that feels like it's been part of my life for a long time (and I'm not even through it yet). It's charming, funny, and sweet, and I'm sure it'll make me weep by the time I'm done with it.

I have Leviathan Wakes on my Nook. I think it's a combined edition with another book.

Daryl Gregory is now one of my favorite authors and Raising Stony Mayhall is probably his best so far. The thing about recommending Gregory's novels to people is that you really can't describe them in a way that doesn't sound like pulp SF&F.

kibitzer · **Reply #2105 on:** February 26, 2012, 06:50:23 AM

Plowing through the gargantuan Bogart by A M Sperber and Eric Lax. I say "plowing" but really, I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Bogart is one of my all-time favourite actors. At his best, there's a palpable presence, an almost literal force coming off the screen. Man, he was good. Interesting personal life.

danooli · **Reply #2106 on:** February 26, 2012, 01:04:03 PM

I've started The Hidden Goddess by someone called M.K. Hobson.

I'm also reading Charles Jessold, Considered as a Murderer by Wesley Stace. It's not a genre book, but it's really good so far. (He's one of my favorite musicians, under the name of John Wesley Harding, and his first two novels were excellent. Misfortune and By George are the titles.)

Bdoomed · **Reply #2107 on:** February 27, 2012, 03:49:20 PM

Read Nightwood, which was insanely difficult to slog through. Didn't really like it. Oh well. Just read Suddenly Last Summer which was fun.

DKT · **Reply #2108 on:** February 27, 2012, 08:36:06 PM

Quote from: Sandikal on February 26, 2012, 05:20:36 AM

I have Leviathan Wakes on my Nook. I think it's a combined edition with another book.

Daryl Gregory is now one of my favorite authors and Raising Stony Mayhall is probably his best so far. The thing about recommending Gregory's novels to people is that you really can't describe them in a way that doesn't sound like pulp SF&F.

Digital versions of Leviathan Wakes were bundled with Abraham's fantasy novel: The Dragon's Path. I really enjoyed Dragon's Path, but yeesh, Leviathan Wakes is rip-roaring fun.

I'm not a little more than half way through Raising Stony Mayhall, and it's become a totally different book than what I thought it was going to be when I posted last. That's not a mark against it - I'm still really enjoying it. But the first 1/4 is kind of like The Graveyard Book, with a zombie boy growing up, and the point I just finished was him going out into the world. Yeah, I'll have to check out more of Gregory's stuff, for sure.

L.G.Vazquez · **Reply #2109 on:** March 04, 2012, 12:11:26 AM

I'm knee deep in Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, read by Wil Wheaton. I'm basically in geek heaven. I'm not even that much of a gamer (just World of Warcraft, and even that is limited), but I grew up with video games in the 80s and 90s, and I'm loving all the references.

Talia · **Reply #2110 on:** March 04, 2012, 03:27:40 AM

Quote from: L.G.Vazquez on March 04, 2012, 12:11:26 AM

I'm knee deep in Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, read by Wil Wheaton. I'm basically in geek heaven. I'm not even that much of a gamer (just World of Warcraft, and even that is limited), but I grew up with video games in the 80s and 90s, and I'm loving all the references.

I read 'Ready Player One' a while ago, was also a child of the '80s. Such an awesome jaunt down nostalgia lane.

danooli · **Reply #2111 on:** March 04, 2012, 01:05:49 PM

Quote from: L.G.Vazquez on March 04, 2012, 12:11:26 AM

read by Wil Wheaton.

oooh! Wil Wheaton narrates?!? I wonder what the chances are he'd narrate for Escape Artists?

Gamercow · **Reply #2112 on:** March 05, 2012, 09:30:45 PM

Quote from: Talia on March 04, 2012, 03:27:40 AM

Quote from: L.G.Vazquez on March 04, 2012, 12:11:26 AM
I'm knee deep in Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, read by Wil Wheaton. I'm basically in geek heaven. I'm not even that much of a gamer (just World of Warcraft, and even that is limited), but I grew up with video games in the 80s and 90s, and I'm loving all the references.

I hit on just about every geekdom in that book, and adored it. It was not deep at all, and was basically a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory type of scenario, but it worked.

And I think if he could carve out the time, Wil might narrate for EA.

kibitzer · **Reply #2113 on:** March 06, 2012, 10:18:05 AM

Finished the above-mentioned Bogart. At 522 pages of close-set type it wasn't a short read. But it was very rewarding. Thoroughly enjoyable.

There must be plenty o' young uns out there who've never heard of Humphrey Bogart. Do yourselves a favour and go rent Casablanca right now, one of the greatest films ever made.

Devoted135 · **Reply #2114 on:** March 06, 2012, 02:37:53 PM

Finished Inheritance and started Hunger Games. So far it's pretty much what I expected: an engaging and extremely fast read.

Listener · **Reply #2115 on:** March 06, 2012, 03:16:45 PM

Reading a couple of books for EP reviews. Unfortunately I'm four chapters into the first and I can't find anything good about it except some of the creature/character combinations. I'm really dreading having to finish them.

Bdoomed · **Reply #2116 on:** March 17, 2012, 06:56:46 AM

Just read The Space Merchants. My oh my, that book is faaaaantastic. I highly recommend it, and it's pretty short as well, so it shouldn't distract anyone for too long off other books.

childoftyranny · **Reply #2117 on:** March 17, 2012, 09:34:59 AM

Quote from: Sandikal on November 19, 2011, 05:06:51 AM

Quote from: Talia on November 18, 2011, 03:28:34 AM
I am loving 'The Alloy of Law.' It's certainly fluffier than Sanderson's previous works, but it's very enjoyable - a rollicking good action adventure tale with a healthy dose of comedy.

It reminded me a lot of the old TV show "Wild Wild West".

That is a great comparison for the Alloy of Law!

kibitzer · **Reply #2118 on:** March 18, 2012, 01:15:46 AM

Quote from: Bdoomed on March 17, 2012, 06:56:46 AM

Just read The Space Merchants. My oh my, that book is faaaaantastic. I highly recommend it, and it's pretty short as well, so it shouldn't distract anyone for too long off other books.

Pohl is one of my favourite authors, pretty much anything of his is worth reading.

Bdoomed · **Reply #2119 on:** March 18, 2012, 03:17:19 AM

Quote from: kibitzer on March 18, 2012, 01:15:46 AM

Quote from: Bdoomed on March 17, 2012, 06:56:46 AM
Just read The Space Merchants. My oh my, that book is faaaaantastic. I highly recommend it, and it's pretty short as well, so it shouldn't distract anyone for too long off other books.

Pohl is one of my favourite authors, pretty much anything of his is worth reading.

That's the sense I'm getting. He's pretty damn funny as well.

Devoted135 · **Reply #2120 on:** March 19, 2012, 02:37:19 PM

Finished Hunger Games. 1984 plus Lord of the Flies plus We all rolled up into one. Now diving back into some historical fiction in order to de-stress!

edit: I should clarify and say that I finished the whole trilogy. The kindle trilogy came in one long book instead of three separate short books, so I keep forgetting the 2nd and 3rd books have different names. :-P

eytanz · **Reply #2121 on:** March 22, 2012, 03:08:33 PM

I just finished reading The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi. I thought it was excellent. It is not necessarily an easy read, especially not in the beginning - there's a lot of concepts and terminology thrown at the reader with no explanation coming until much later (and even then, the explanation often needs to be inferred rather than explained outright). Some people are going to love that, others are going to hate that. I had a leg up since I speak Hebrew which is the source for some of the more crucial terms. It's the first of a trilogy (which I wasn't aware of until I reached the ending), but enough threads are resolved within that it's not annoying to read on its own.

danooli · **Reply #2122 on:** March 22, 2012, 09:59:25 PM

I started The Hunger Games on Tuesday evening and finished it yesterday. i loved it. Just downloaded the next book onto my nook and will likely finish that tomorrow.

I love vacations.

kibitzer · **Reply #2123 on:** March 23, 2012, 02:04:49 AM

I started The Hunger Games today, having procured as an Amazon eBook. Seems like all the cool kids are reading it...

Bdoomed · **Reply #2124 on:** March 23, 2012, 10:08:31 PM

^ I need to read that at some point...

However, at the moment, it's Cat's Cradle again, for class this time. I friggin love this book!