What books do you read? — Legacy Forums

Re: What books do you read?

#321

I remember reading the Hunger Games last year at some point. The first book was good. You could tell however that the author (name forgotten) was pushed (can't think of the word I wanted) as part of a deal to pump another two books out. In other words the last 2 books felt very rushed. I was able to deduce towards the end of the second book pretty exactly what would happen next and over throughout the last book.

I bought another David Baldacci thriller this morning, at about 0400. Couldn't sleep. Go figure. The latest King and Maxwell. Cannot wait to finish Lone Survivor so I can move onto this!

Re: What books do you read?

#322

I've finished Lone Survivor.

Read EVE by Tony Gonzales over the weekend.

Am currently reading The Sword of God by Chris Kuzneski, which I'll probably finish tomorrow evening.

Re: What books do you read?

#323

Finished Sword of God. Much action, couple of LoL moments.

Read Andy McNab's 'Fortress' last night in one go.

Started reading King and Maxwell by David Baldacci this morning and managed to get a third of the way through. I'm certainly hooked and will read more of his books.

Re: What books do you read?

#324

Finished King and Maxwell. Will be buying more of Baldacci's books in the future!

Out of things to read now, recommendations?

Re: What books do you read?

#325

Mid-way through Veteran by Gavin Smith. Sweet new take on aliens, apocolipse and the net.

Re: What books do you read?

#326

Bujold's Barrayar series. Also known as the Vorkosigan saga. There's enough there to keep you reading for a while, if you end up liking it. I myself tried the first book and immediately got hooked. My next week was spent almost completely entranced reading the whole series. There is your friendly warning.

Re: What books do you read?

#327

@Tianakki: thank you for mentioning the Dresden Files in an earlier post, I've started reading them again, finished Storm Front last night and - if the library stock them - will read the next 2 over the weekend.

Dresden Files aside, I'm still reading The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker. I have to put it down quite a lot. It's just not possible to read more than a section or two in the same sitting.

Re: What books do you read?

#328

Got a DTF* book for Fathers Day. Game of thrones #5, A Dance with Dragons. Haven't read a paper book in ages.

*Dead Tree Format

Re: What books do you read?

#329

The Hobbit. I simply love Tolkien's works. I'll only read a book more than once if I've really enjoyed it. As with films, each time I read his books, something else jumps out at me that I didn't notice, or pay particular attention to the first, second and third time around. :read:

I've also just been introduced to the Wild Card's series edited by George Martin (yep, that one), I read the collection titled 'Inside Straight'. Now I just need to get my hands on the first book, which seems illusive and which the library staff have mislabeled as Inside Straight :huh:

Finally, I've also managed to read the Guns of Navarone by Alistair Maclean. After the third attempt. For whatever reason I wasn't able to get into it the first two times, but I'm glad I persevered.

Re: What books do you read?

#330

Murder as a Fine Art, by David Morrell--the guy who wrote First Blood (Rambo)

Fascinating Victorian gas-light historical fiction, featuring the controversial Thomas De Quincey. Couldn't put it down after reading the first paragraph. Finished in one night.

The Son, by Jo Nesbo

Not as mind-numbingly awesome as his Harry Hole series of books, but good.

Re: What books do you read?

#331

After a long wait, my local library managed to source a copy of Blood Rites by Jim Butcher, so I'm now reading that series again.

Still waiting on Aurian (Maggy Furey) and I'll be buying the Shadowrun 5th Ed core rules at some point this month too.

Re: What books do you read?

#332

Here's a bunch:

Iain M. Banks: The Algebraist - a departure from my favorite Culture series, a single book defines a cool universe of its own with a wonderfully cantankerous race of giant floating creatures that like to hunt their own children. Among other things. Also they are probably the oldest race around and they'll probably be here by the time yours is long forgotten.

Steven Campbell: Hard Luck Hank - the misadventures of a mutant mobster negotiator. It's easiest to talk sense into people when you are bulletproof.

Jim Bernheimer: Confessions of a D-List Supervillain - juvenile and fun. Points out very usefully why you have to be a billionaire before going Iron Man.

Andy Weir: The Martian - perfectly paced hard sci-fi that you'll swallow in one piece.

Brandon Sanderson: The Rithmatist - YA with a cool magic system

Re: What books do you read?

#333

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Re: What books do you read?

#334

The Johannes Cabal books, by Jonathan Howard - Four wonderful books starring a necromancer on a quest to bring his dead love back to life while having outlandish adventures on the way. Also includes larger than life antagonists (Satan, Nyarlethotep, the Pope), airships, better companions than the Doctor (a vampire, spies, Nyarlethotep, inquisitors, scholars, and aviatrixes), and last, but certainly not least, more humor than you can shake a frozen trout at!

Re: What books do you read?

#335

Always like mystery alongside fantasy and I found two series by the following authors great in satisfying both of my tastes at once (sort of though they are more mystery oriented but they are set in more medieval times and part of why I love fantasy was that it brought me into a different society and culture than nowadays):
The Brother Cadfael series by Peter Ellis
The Sister Fidelma series by Peter Tremayne
Both series stars a medieval clergy main character solving mysteries.

I also picked up an urban fantasy series: The Thursday Next series. Not a serious read, just sth light and humorous.
Other funny read was Robert Aspirin's series of books starting with MYTH conceptions and each book in the series contains the term MYTH in their titles. It's set in normal fantasy world and the funny parts are really seeing modern things being injected into this world after the main char (incompetent wizard's apprentice) acquires a demon as a side-kick.

I read a book called the Enchanted (not sure abt author name but it was a female writer I'm sure and it's quite new) a couple months ago about what happens in a prison containing prisoners on death roll. I quite like it- it delves into darkness but presents it in a non-sentimental way. A bit out of scope of my normal range of fantasy and mystery but yeah, I recommend it for those who want to delve into other categories once in a while.

Re: What books do you read?

#336

Just finished the Tower and Knife trilogy by Marzarkis Williams. Pretty solid writing, a good layered story and my first experience with the 'grim fantasy' niche.

Re: What books do you read?

#337

I've jumped back into reading heavily over the last month.

3 more Dresden Files novels, the last of which I finished was White Night. I love Jim Butcher's style!

I've also just started reading (maybe 70 odd pages in), Robert Jordan's Wheel of time series': Eye of the World. It seems to be much recommended and from what I've read so far I can see why! I usually expect epics like this to drag forever in the opening (like Game of Thrones did, or seemed to), but I'm into it straight away.

Re: What books do you read?

#338

I like dark fantasy but set in a fantasy world, am re-reading Songs of The Dying Earth a tribute to Jack Vances Dying Earth series, its a collection of short stories where the authers do there best to imitate Vance's style. Very good.

Next is Vironiconium(cant remember auther) A VERY dif take on fantasy tropes, anothe Dying Earth setting. Best alien invasion story EVER!The alien dont even know they are invading! I liked this so much I stopped reading it when I was 90% done so I could re-read it again and get some new material out of it(I do this from time to time w/ stuff I really like)

My favorite book is The Throne of Bone by Brian McNaughton, a dark fantasy take on ghouls.Beware there is some sick sexual stuff in there but the ghouls are so cool. Tip skip the first short story and read it last, I almost didnt read the rest of the book when I started with it,cant recomend highly enuf if you like your fantasy mixed w/ horror

Re: What books do you read?

#339

Just finished Jeff VanderMeer's The Southern Reach Trilogy: Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance.

It's a fantastic, satisfying, and somewhat frustrating read. There's a very strong Lovecraftian horror vibe, crossed with spy intrigue and some other elements I can't put my finger on. The stories concern a mysterious Area X, some ecological catastrophe where expeditions are sent in but no one seems to come out, at least not as they once were. It's hard to talk much about the plot without giving a lot a way, but after having read the whole trilogy, there's parts the author doesn't give away. A lot of the book has to do with the impossible, things that lie completely beyond human comprehension, and leaving some - even a lot - of the mystery unsolved keeps that theme.

Suzod recommends! :cthulhu:

Re: What books do you read?

#340

I'm in the middle of the *Southern Reach Trilogy* and struggling a little. Or maybe I should say the book is struggling to keep my attention. It seems to be exploring the same theme that Arkady & Boris Strugatsky's Roadside Picnic explores, only I feel the Strugatskys did it much more concisely and thought provokingly. If I had read this first I might feel different. Furthermore, my previous book was Christpher Pirest's The Islanders, which I really enjoyed. If you haven't heard of it, it's sort of like a cross between Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino and A Wizard of Earthsea.

@Aramax: Are you referring to In Viriconium by M. John Harrison? I haven't read it but did read The Pastel City (twice, and the second time with my book club) which I frankly thought was just awful. His work has been acclaimed by writers like Angela Carter, Neil Gaiman (who has called him "a Zen master of prose"), China Miéville, William Gibson and Clive Barker, who has referred to him as "a blazing original", Harlan Ellison and Iain M. Banks. But I just don't get it.The characters a flat, the world is flat, the plot is full of convenient coincidences, and the naming is atrocious.

Re: What books do you read?

#341

I'm in the middle of the *Southern Reach Trilogy* and struggling a little. Or maybe I should say the book is struggling to keep my attention. It seems to be exploring the same theme that Arkady & Boris Strugatsky's Roadside Picnic explores, only I feel the Strugatskys did it much more concisely and thought provokingly. If I had read this first I might feel different. Furthermore, my previous book was Christpher Pirest's The Islanders, which I really enjoyed. If you haven't heard of it, it's sort of like a cross between Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino and A Wizard of Earthsea.

@Aramax: Are you referring to In Viriconium by M. John Harrison? I haven't read it but did read The Pastel City (twice, and the second time with my book club) which I frankly thought was just awful. His work has been acclaimed by writers like Angela Carter, Neil Gaiman (who has called him "a Zen master of prose"), China Miéville, William Gibson and Clive Barker, who has referred to him as "a blazing original", Harlan Ellison and Iain M. Banks. But I just don't get it.The characters a flat, the world is flat, the plot is full of convenient coincidences, and the naming is atrocious.

I think we are talking about the same book.But I think mine is called just"Viricnium" and its fabulous!(a little confusing thou)A couple of the short srories are awaard winning. Its a hugly dif take on some common fantasy tropes(although it realy is Sci Fi)Monster invasion,Barbarian Horde,Knights and Monster hunting are all explored.

Re: What books do you read?

#342

I think we are talking about the same book.But I think mine is called just"Viricnium" and its fabulous!(a little confusing thou)A couple of the short srories are awaard winning. Its a hugly dif take on some common fantasy tropes(although it realy is Sci Fi)Monster invasion,Barbarian Horde,Knights and Monster hunting are all explored.

According to Wikipedia there are three omnibus volumes:

A 1988 omnibus entitled Viriconium (Viriconium (1988 collection)) omits the first two novels; it consists of the third novel, In Viriconium, and the full contents of the short story collection Viriconium Nights. The stories in this omnibus are in the same running order as in the 1985 first edition. The omnibus has an introduction by Iain Banks.
All four works of the sequence were published in the U.K in a single omnibus volume called Viriconium in 2000. (Viriconium (2000 collection)). The stories are arranged in a different sequence (presumably chronological) which see the Viriconium Nights stories in a different running order than in the 1985 first edition and the 1988 omnibus. An American edition of all four was published in 2005, with an introduction by Neil Gaiman. The novels are sequenced in publication order, but the short stories are in a different sequence. This edition was published in audio in late 2011 by Neil Gaiman Presents, read by Simon Vance.

Sounds like you have one of those. The later stuff was published more than 10 years after The Pastel City and the 1988 omnibus doesn't even contain TPC. Maybe he hit his stride after this work. ;-)

Re: What books do you read?

#343

I'm in the middle of the *Southern Reach Trilogy* and struggling a little. Or maybe I should say the book is struggling to keep my attention. It seems to be exploring the same theme that Arkady & Boris Strugatsky's Roadside Picnic explores, only I feel the Strugatskys did it much more concisely and thought provokingly. If I had read this first I might feel different. Furthermore, my previous book was Christpher Pirest's The Islanders, which I really enjoyed. If you haven't heard of it, it's sort of like a cross between Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino and A Wizard of Earthsea.

I haven't read Roadside Picnic, but based on the summary, there is some overlap. If you're still in Authority, I would encourage you to push through. Acceptance is interesting in bringing the various threads together. While Annihilation and Authority both take a single character's perspective (the biologist in 1st person and Control in 3rd person, respectively), Acceptance actually splits up the narrative between five points of view: Ghost Bird in 3rd person, Control in 3rd person, the lighthouse keeper in 3rd person, the biologist in 1st person, and (interestingly) the psychologist in 2nd person. The third book also jumps around in the timeline, making coinciding major plot points across time. I think of the three, Acceptance was the best-written.

Re: What books do you read?

#344

If you're still in Authority, I would encourage you to push through.

Oh, I will. It will be easier when there are fewer distractions. And thanks for blanking out the spoiler! :-)

Re: What books do you read?

#345

Finally I've finished the first Wheel of Time book, Robert Jordan is excellent! Why, oh why, have I only just started reading his books!?

I'm a little further forward with the Dresden Files, having just read Turn Coat and now waiting for Changes. This is a world I love dipping into, I can usually finish one of these in a matter of days.

Someone recently introduced me to David Eddings too, the book is called The Diamond Throne. I'm loving it already, full of humour.

Re: What books do you read?

#346

Finally I've finished the first Wheel of Time book, Robert Jordan is excellent! Why, oh why, have I only just started reading his books!?

I'm a little further forward with the Dresden Files, having just read Turn Coat and now waiting for Changes. This is a world I love dipping into, I can usually finish one of these in a matter of days.

Someone recently introduced me to David Eddings too, the book is called The Diamond Throne. I'm loving it already, full of humour.

David Eddings is amazing, and the Belgariad/Mallorean are well worth finding to read as well.

ALSO, READ DRESDEN FASTER SO WE CAN DISCUSS THE MAJOR SPOILERS. GAH.

Re: What books do you read?

#347

[quote author=Kassy link=topic=105.msg88569#msg88569 date=1432721912]
Finally I've finished the first Wheel of Time book, Robert Jordan is excellent! Why, oh why, have I only just started reading his books!?

I'm a little further forward with the Dresden Files, having just read Turn Coat and now waiting for Changes. This is a world I love dipping into, I can usually finish one of these in a matter of days.

Someone recently introduced me to David Eddings too, the book is called The Diamond Throne. I'm loving it already, full of humour.

David Eddings is amazing, and the Belgariad/Mallorean are well worth finding to read as well.

ALSO, READ DRESDEN FASTER SO WE CAN DISCUSS THE MAJOR SPOILERS. GAH.

I'm trying to find the other David Eddings books, but it's hit and miss, same thing with the Dresden Files. If I had the money, I'd buy them all myself. But as it is I have to content myself with the library :D

Re: What books do you read?

#348

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

Game of Thrones light. Great little yarn about a hedge knight and his bald little squire (who may be more than he seems). For those that think the GoT world is too 1. Much 2. Gory 3. Sordid 4. Nasty 5. Complex, you may like this book! No world saving, no incest, no dragons, etc

Just a good "low-fantasy" adventure yarn.

(Of course, for fans of the aSoIaF series, there are lots of "clues" in this book, as it takes place 90 years before the GoT events begin.)

Re: What books do you read?

#349

Just read James Patterson's Hope to Die, quite good if you are looking for quick actions, page turner type of thrillers- very short chapters (6 pages max.) and reads a little like a cop movie.

Currently reading Elizabeth Chadwick's Shadows and Strongholds. It's a historical fiction and the back cover says that it's "a powerful tale of pride and strife- of coming of age in a world where the past taints every step and chivalry is long forgotten". To be honest, I picked it up mostly because of this line and after finishing the first chapter, it seems all right. Will report in further after finishing it.

Read a few short stories off-and-on these few months for the pulp fiction group but nothing truly fantastic to report on. Then again, my taste runs towards actual books and series, not short stories.

Re: What books do you read?

#350

Andy Weir: The Martian - perfectly paced hard sci-fi that you'll swallow in one piece.

Seconded. The book was also much better than the movie (naturally).

Would like to pimp Jim Butcher's Codex Alera. The series came out of a dare -- someone bet Jim that he couldn't write a book based on a bad idea, and Jim said he could write one based off of TWO bad ideas (challenger's choice). And so he ended up writing a series based on Pokemon and the Lost Roman Legion. The first book is kind of rough (mostly because the protagonist is 12 at that point), but the series as a whole is absolutely amazing. Captain's Fury, by itself, is one of my favorite fantasy books of all time. And the Canim are formidable villains / frenimies.

Re: What books do you read?

#351

Read the script/screenplay online for the "Hateful Eight". Does that count as a book? :)

Man oh man, Tarantino invents amazing dialogue. Looking forward to the film.

Re: What books do you read?

#352

Currently reading The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu. Great debut novel that puts you into a fantasy empire in the midst of revolution. It's epic in scope, but manages to keep the number of main characters to a reasonable sum. Liu borrows liberally from Chinese history: without spoilers, I can see major figures like Qin Shi Huangdi, Liu Bang, and Han Fei reflected in the characters. That borrowing manages to create a unique setting that's a little foreign but very approachable. By Chapter 14 where I am now, the fantastic elements are limited to a few unusual animals, a guy with two pupils per eye, and dialogue between gods. There's a lot of world-building, but good characterization too. I'm already looking forward to the second in the series, which comes out in October.

Re: What books do you read?

#353

Currently reading The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu. Great debut novel that puts you into a fantasy empire in the midst of revolution. It's epic in scope, but manages to keep the number of main characters to a reasonable sum. Liu borrows liberally from Chinese history: without spoilers, I can see major figures like Qin Shi Huangdi, Liu Bang, and Han Fei reflected in the characters. That borrowing manages to create a unique setting that's a little foreign but very approachable. By Chapter 14 where I am now, the fantastic elements are limited to a few unusual animals, a guy with two pupils per eye, and dialogue between gods. There's a lot of world-building, but good characterization too. I'm already looking forward to the second in the series, which comes out in October.

Just reading the excerpt, it feels personally to me as a Chinese that the inspiration for the series is the split/warring between Liu Bang, the founder of the Han dynasty with his sworn brother that is counted as a unique/substantial time period in ancient Chinese history.

Re: What books do you read?

#354

[quote author=Dozus link=topic=105.msg90370#msg90370 date=1456159162]
Currently reading The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu. Great debut novel that puts you into a fantasy empire in the midst of revolution. It's epic in scope, but manages to keep the number of main characters to a reasonable sum. Liu borrows liberally from Chinese history: without spoilers, I can see major figures like Qin Shi Huangdi, Liu Bang, and Han Fei reflected in the characters. That borrowing manages to create a unique setting that's a little foreign but very approachable. By Chapter 14 where I am now, the fantastic elements are limited to a few unusual animals, a guy with two pupils per eye, and dialogue between gods. There's a lot of world-building, but good characterization too. I'm already looking forward to the second in the series, which comes out in October.

Just reading the excerpt, it feels personally to me as a Chinese that the inspiration for the series is the split/warring between Liu Bang, the founder of the Han dynasty with his sworn brother that is counted as a unique/substantial time period in ancient Chinese history.
As a world history teacher, I've always thought the Warring States Period through the rise of the Han Dynasty was terribly interesting, certainly no less than the various feudal kingdoms of Europe. While I'd still like to see more historical fiction from that era (I'm sure there's some in Chinese, I just haven't seen much in English), it's fertile inspiration for a fantasy series.

Re: What books do you read?

#355

As a world history teacher, I've always thought the Warring States Period through the rise of the Han Dynasty was terribly interesting, certainly no less than the various feudal kingdoms of Europe. While I'd still like to see more historical fiction from that era (I'm sure there's some in Chinese, I just haven't seen much in English), it's fertile inspiration for a fantasy series.

I'm not up to date with Chinese contemporary novels since I migrated to Australia since 12 and since then had just been reading English novels on the main. But from online Chinese novels that I do read now since the last 5 years, historical fiction seems to me to be an undernourished genre in Chinese. It's a strange thing cos 2 of the Four Classicals fall into the genre of historical fiction- Romance of the Three Kingdoms is obviously about the Period of the Three Kingdoms and the Water Margins is also set about the Song dynasty and stars main characters that are a mixture of real and imaginary characters according to Wiki (For a long time, I wasn't sure of this point but I think Wiki should be relatively trustworthy on broad points like that).

Anyway, talking about historical fictions/epic fantasy based on ancient Chinese history, I think I saw an ebook series about the Warring States Period in my random browsing (the link is here: http://www.amazon.com/The-State-Warring-States-Book-ebook/dp/B00B27S3P4)
Personally, I'm always cautious of fiction based on ancient China or Oriental setting written by Anglo-Saxons. They don't speak to me in a core way that really convinces me that I'm in an Oriental setting as opposed to a fake Oriental setting as observed by outsiders. So I haven't read this series, but just thought you might be interested given your own personal interest in that period.

On a slightly different track, there is this Jap author who write pretty good Jap historical fiction. I've only read his Taiko which really read like an epic fantasy to me except that it's based on a real historical character. Warning though is that people not particularly familiar with the Warring States period in Japan might not confused with all the Jap names in there cos it stars a massive cast. I assume that's no impediment to you, Dozus.

Re: What books do you read?

#356

Half way through this cyber punk/detective novel. I am enjoying in just as much as say Neuromancer or Altered Carbon. It a has neat central neat Sci-Fi hook, though I am not sure I buy as veasiable even with carbon nanotubes (for one it requires they stop plate tectonics ). Like its predocesors in the genre it tries to push the envelope on how technology can change ethics and the "human experience".

Anyway there is a promotion going on until Monday, the book is free if you download it from amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Planet-Simon-Gilberthorpe-ebook/dp/B01J9MTEL0

Re: What books do you read?

#357

The Webmage Series by Kelly McCullough is one I come back to every few months for a re-read. 5 books total, dealing with a child of the Fates as he hacks and cracks his way through the multiverse. If you like Harry Dresden as a character, you'll find Ravirn to be a kindred spirit. Greek mythology, migrated to the modern world.

The Saga of Seven Suns by Kevin J. Anderson is large and dense (7 books, all within a few dozen pages of 500), but I loved it. It's definitely space opera, but that doesn't stop me from classifying it as solid scifi.

Re: What books do you read?

#358

The Jack Reacher novels. Been having fun ripping through those at night. Unfortunately I end up finishing them in a couple days, but there are a lot of them so just slowly going through them.

Found one called Double Dead by Wendig. The premise captured me. A vampire that wakes up after an zombie apocalypse and can't find fresh meat. That sounds like fun. Just started it and it is a bit hard to read due to the chunky writing. Will read till he meets humans and if it doesn't get better I will dump it.

Re: What books do you read?

#359

The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1)
by Scott Lynch

Oh, boy. It started out a little rough but that was just a super fun read. Reminded me (but it has been a looong time) of the kind of style of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. The book is sort of like Italian Job/Oceans 11 style con games in a fantasy city. The City is pretty cool, the cons are fun and while you can kinda see where it is going, on purpose, it is a very joyful ride. Just a fun book.

Gotta find me more in the series. I think there are 4 or so out there. Highly recommend it for a quick read that doesn't actually require reading the entire series unless you want.

Re: What books do you read?

#360

I just finished a book called the "Last Temptation of Iago Wick" about charming demon and the useless louts he convinces to sell their souls to hell.

Lately I have pushed aside my non-fiction reading to try and consume as much weird horror as possible.

Here are some famous weird horror (or Eldritch Horror stories) you can read for free.

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0601051.txt

http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/short-stories/22/the-charnel-god