Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[HarryT]

Just finished "Pigs Don't Fly" by Mary Brown, which is the middle third of the 2003 Baen omnibus "Here There Be Dragonnes". Another excellent "quest"-type fantasy, telling the story of a young girl who is thrown out of her home in what is probably medieval Europe when her mother, the village whore, dies. Well written and enjoyable, although it contains an irritating number of errors, which many of these early Baen books did. Recommended.

[Dngrsone]

Just finished Lethal Code by Thomas Waite.

This book is scary. Not because of monsters or aliens or any of that... rather, it's due to the very real possibility that the events therein could actually happen.

Every week it seems we hear about a new hacking incident... whether it's a digital bank robbery or a hospital's records being held for ransom; it doesn't seem implausible that a team of hackers could take over all the power stations in this country. The ensuing death and destruction is well-illustrated without becoming macabre, though I must admit that I had to pause in my reading every once in a while, as I became too emotional.

The characters are well-developed and believable, the plot is well written and I can't recall a single error in the text or formatting.

For me, this is a very good book, and will go into the favorites list.

Next is another Odd Thomas book, Odd Hours.

[cromag]

Just back from a weekend trip to attend our daughter's graduation. I brought along my JetBook Lite as well as a couple of old issues of Galaxy and If magazine that I picked up in the used book store. One of them was the October, 1965, issue of If with the first of three installments of Keith Laumer's Retief's War. I can remember buying this issue when I was in eighth grade, after school at the local pharmacy's magazine stand, but I never read the Retief story. I'm a big fan of Keith Laumer, but I've never really been a fan of his Retief novels.

This time I decided to give it a shot. I didn't have the subsequent issues with me, but I did have the Baen ebook Retief! on my JBL, and I was able to continue the story there. Bottom line: I'm still not a Retief fan. It starts out good -- even very good -- but the satire is too broad and heavy-handed. Also, his handling of the uncivilized aliens, and the sudden (and unnecessary?) appearance of a spaceship full of attractive young women, were way too clumsy.

It also highlighted something that I find pretty sad. The illustrations to the original serial in If were done by Jack Gaughan and do a very good job of making the concept of wheeled aliens a little less unimaginable. When stories from the old pulps are collected for new anthologies I wish publishers would put a greater premium on including the original illustrations.

Anyway, I decided to try a safer bet for my next read. I've started Baen's The Universe Twister, a collection of Keith Laumer's three Lafayette O'Leary novels. I read the first one, The Time Bender, many years ago and remember liking it.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Next: Witches Abroad is still on hold, I thought it was available. Instead I will read The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry. This was the first book I saw when I logged in to my library this morning to get a new book so I am going to count it in the Something for Everyone Challenge as "the first book you see in the book store library."

I enjoyed that, interesting take on Columbus. Certainly some truth in there (regarding what happened in the new world.)

Next up: The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein for the book club, need to finish by Friday when the discussion starts. Witches Abroad after that since it came in a couple days ago.

[samhy]

Originally Posted by samhy

Now I'm reading for the very first time Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. I'm late to the party, I know

I've finished the first book, which was great, and taking a break from the trilogy by reading Alive (Scott Stiegler).
After the third chapter I still don't know what to expect, not in a bad way though.

[drjd]

Originally Posted by drjd

Next up : Big Bang - The Origin of the Universe by Simon Singh. A non fiction, analytical book on physics and astronomy.

Finished Big Bang - The Origin of the Universe by Simon Singh.

The book tracks down each piece of evidence supporting the Big Bang theory: the abundance of hydrogen in the Universe, the discovery that galaxies are speeding away from us, and the cosmic microwave background radiation. It introduces the cast of characters involved in each discovery, and then leads us through the observations and breakthroughs that formed this piece of evidence. We also meet the challengers and understand their differing, and very valid, viewpoints. Despite being a hard science in itself, it’s easy to read and understand this book, and gives a great overview of the theory, the theorists, and the evidence. Recommended.

Next will be Sex, Scotch and Scholarship ,another memoir by the notable journalist and writer Khushwant Singh.

[Rev. Bob]

I've acquired several graphic novels recently - some borrowed, some electronic bought on sale - and have been plowing through them at speed. In no particular order:

Araña volumes 1-2: Interestingly different-for-Marvel take on a spider-powered heroine. So far, with the exception of one event, this could be completely divorced from the Marvel Universe with no problems.

The Sandman volumes 1-4: No, I hadn't read them before. No, not any of them. For real. At this point... meh, honestly. I can see the skill in the craft, but it feels like being served a delicately designed, artfully built meringue. There just doesn't seem to be much meat there.

Silk volume 0: I have the Original Sin collection - the big one, not the shorter one with the same cover - and this reminds me that I ought to read it. I encountered the character for the first time in the Spider-Verse story - short form, she was also bitten by the spider that got Peter Parker - and so far, I like what's going on with her. Suffers a bit from being cut short by the Secret Wars "all the universes die" decree; I'll have to see what becomes of her afterward.

Spider-Gwen volume 0: Kind of the same situation as Silk 0, actually. New character, a few issues to get a feel for her world, then it comes to a sudden end thanks to Marketing. It was interesting to see how some familiar characters were thrust into different roles, though... Matt Murdock as Kingpin's enforcer? Frank Castle on the police force? I know the character's coming back, the big question is how. I think I like Silk more as a character, but I like Gwen's setting more.

Secret Wars Prelude collection: A haphazard collection that delivers several seeds that should have at least gotten a couple of pages of summary in the main event. "Here's the Doom/Beyonder backstory. Here's who Miles Morales is, if you live under a rock. Here's a bit about The Maker and the City he built, which makes no sense without even more background. Here's something about Doom trying his hand at making a universe. Oh, and here are three issues of New Avengers that actually tell you what's going on. Good luck!" I would've done this as a reprint of the New Avengers issues plus a special (double-length at most) issue that summarized everything else. It would've been half the size and much easier to digest.

Secret Wars collection: My, this was mismarketed. You go in expecting a big fight between the heroes of two universes, and instead you get a plodding, weird story that reads like an oversized FF-themed "What If" miniseries. I might have liked it more if the expectations had been set accordingly. There doesn't seem to be any point in bothering with the tie-in collections, which will at least save my wallet some pain.

Ms. Marvel volumes 1-3: Very refreshing. I'm not part of any of Kamela Khan's communities, but learning about them and seeing the Marvel Universe through her fresh perspective is very cool. Unfortunately, volume 4 concludes with the same big "OMG Secret Wars smash" event, which I'm not looking forward to.

Amazing Spider-Man volume 1: So far, the only post-Secret Wars Marvel collection I've read. Thankfully, the world-shattering event doesn't seem to have messed with this all that much. Spidey's taking on sort of a "Junior Iron Man" role as tech-funded philanthropist, and I like where this is going so far.

On the prose side, I'm working my way through Acolytes of Cthulhu a little at a time. It's mainly a reprint anthology of older stories, but there may be a couple of originals in there. The good thing about anthologies is that you can read a story or two at a time, as the mood hits. This one's not bad, but there's that matter of setting expectations. I hadn't realized the tales were reprints at first, but now that I'm over that, I've recalibrated and am cool with it. Sometimes, all you want from a Mythos story is a shoggoth and a madman in a padded cell...

[HarryT]

Just finished "The Mind Readers", by Margery Allingham; the 18th book in the "Campion" series. A rather improbable story involving various groups of spies trying to get hold of a device that enables telepathic communication. Not one of the better books in the series, though not bad by any means.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Next up: The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein for the book club, need to finish by Friday when the discussion starts. Witches Abroad after that since it came in a couple days ago.

I really enjoyed The Steerswoman. Discussion starts Friday...

I will start Witches Abroad this evening and am looking forward to it!

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I really enjoyed The Steerswoman. Discussion starts Friday...

I will start Witches Abroad this evening and am looking forward to it!

I'm glad.

I'm taking a quick and very weird break from the Steerswoman series (I've now re-read the first three) to read Silence, one of the Chrome Bourne urban fantasies from Mercedes Lackey. Talk about opposites!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Right to Arm Bears by Gordon R. Dickson. An old Baen purchase.

And an enjoyable romp it was too.

Next up: Sharpe's <something> by Bernard Cornwall. Whichever is next in my Sharpe read-through.

More campaigning in Portugal.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

And an enjoyable romp it was too.

Next up: Sharpe's <something> by Bernard Cornwall. Whichever is next in my Sharpe read-through.

More campaigning in Portugal.

Ha! We're both reading Cornwall. Well, actually I'm listening to Cornwall; an audiobook of his one and only work of non-fiction, Waterloo: The History of Four Days, Three Armies, and Three Battles.

[orlok]

With all the talk about and recommendations for The Steerswoman, I've decided to give it a go. So it's up next, as soon as I finish the latest in the Robert B Parker's Spencer series.

[drjd]

Originally Posted by drjd

Next will be Sex, Scotch and Scholarship ,another memoir by the notable journalist and writer Khushwant Singh.

Just finished Sex, Scotch and Scholarship by Khushwant Singh.

In this anthology, which comprises some of Khushwant Singh's best writing, you can look forward to some talk of sex, a little of Scotch and much Scholarship. The collection attempts to mirror the author's concerns and passions-his love of nature, his anguish over the situation in Punjab, his interest in religions of the world and his scholarly research on the one into which he was born, Sikhism. The highlight of this book, however, is the expansive, autobiographical opening piece written in Khushwant's characteristically candid style and perhaps the most complete self-portrait he had painted in his lifetime.

Next up: I honestly have not decided yet! need either a break or a new buying perhaps.

[Dngrsone]

Finished Odd Hours by Dean Koontz. I am a bit tired of people shooting people (having read that one freebie of the month, then this Odd Thomas book, and then watching London has Fallen at the movies), so I am going to read another inspirational piece: One Girl, One Dream by Laura Dekker.

This is the girl who circumnavigated the globe alone in a sailboat from the age of 14.

Also queued up is Rabid by Bill Wasik; a book about rabies, and still working on The Linux Command Line by William E. Shotts Jr. which is a slow read, if only because I am familiar with a lot of the material already.

I thought I would have some down time due to an incipient engine rebuild, but it turns out there is nothing fatally wrong with my engine, so I dodged an expensive and time-consuming bullet there; though to be quite frank, I was kind of looking forward to a bit of a change of pace/challenge...