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

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Noah’s Boy by Sarah A. Hoyt

An excellent continuation of the series.

Spoiler:

Although there is a fundamental flaw in the setup which has not yet been explained. I hope for an explanation in a future book.

Next up: Beginnings by David Weber et al. A collection of stories in Weber's Honorverse setting.

The first story was fun, but

Spoiler:

shows a deep misunderstanding of computers, even granted we're talking about computer technology of a century from now.

[CRussel]

The first story in Beginnings kind of put me off, given the problem you sited. So I decided to try something else. Read a couple of stories the A Liaden Universe Constellation , then over to Draw One in the Dark. We'll see...

[NickyWithNook]

Originally Posted by Geralt

I finished, and The Ocean... was just as bit as magical and entertaining as American Gods were. Albeit not so dark, which is to be expected because this story is told from the perspective of 7 year old boy.
Only thing I didn't fancy is the fact that the book is under 200 pages. I wanted more

Next up...finishing the Perdido Street Station.

I just read this too! Really good, but too short.

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by NickyWithNook

I just read this too! Really good, but too short.

Yup! I really like his style.
Well, I also finished Perdido Street Station and this was amazing. I know why some people say you either love or hate Mieville. I guess I'm in the love camp

Next up, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Another book from my challenge. And another long book as well. Will see how it goes

[HarryT]

Two more books read this week:

"The Man in the Brown Suit" by Agatha Christie. Her 4th novel, originally published in 1924. This is an excellent "thriller", and tells the story of a young woman's search to uncover the mystery of the death that she is a witness to of a man on the London Underground. The story is largely set in South Africa (a country which Christie had recently visited herself). If you've only ever read Christie's detective novels this is well worth reading.

"The Pothunters" by P.G. Wodehouse, originally published in 1902. Wodehouse is best known for his "Jeeves" and "Blandings Castle" books, but I've always had a soft spot for his "School" books, of which this is the first. The book (like most in the series) is set in St Austin's, a (fictional) minor public (ie private) school. There's been a burglary in which several of the school's sports cups (these are the "pots" of the title) have been stolen, and some of the boys set out to try to solve the mystery and recover the cups. A quick read, but very enjoyable indeed.

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by Geralt

Yup! I really like his style.
Well, I also finished Perdido Street Station and this was amazing. I know why some people say you either love or hate Mieville. I guess I'm in the love camp

Next up, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Another book from my challenge. And another long book as well. Will see how it goes

Definitely in the "love" camp for China Mieville.

However, I was an anti-fan of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. I think I got close to half way before I gave up on it - one of the few times that's ever happened to me with a novel.

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by caleb72

Definitely in the "love" camp for China Mieville.

However, I was an anti-fan of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. I think I got close to half way before I gave up on it - one of the few times that's ever happened to me with a novel.

I read some reviews on GR that say the same. It's quite a unique book. I'm going with audiobook version narrated by Simon Prebble, and it's really superb on that front. Pace is slow however, with characteristic style and overwhelming details sometimes (footnotes lol). But I really adore English mythology and I really like that part. Well 200 pages in....I'm not sure it will be my favorite, but I'm not an anti-fan yet

[Gazella]

Originally Posted by Geralt

Well, I also finished Perdido Street Station and this was amazing. I know why some people say you either love or hate Mieville. I guess I'm in the love camp

Originally Posted by caleb72

Definitely in the "love" camp for China Mieville.

Have you read The City & The City? It's on my TBR so I still haven't read it yet, it seems really good. It would be my first time reading anything by Miéville.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by caleb72

However, I was an anti-fan of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. I think I got close to half way before I gave up on it - one of the few times that's ever happened to me with a novel.

Me too, I'm afraid. I tried it as an audiobook, and gave up about a quarter of the way in. It just didn't hold my interest, and that's equally unusual for me to give up on a book.

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I finished Odd Thomas last night...

I've read the whole series, and have now just started Deeply Odd, the latest release. I think as a whole the series is inconsistent, and hasn't really delivered on the promise of the first two or three books, veering off into rather strange territory particularly with the 5th one, Odd Apocalypse. Still, I am persevering

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by orlok

Me too, I'm afraid. I tried it as an audiobook, and gave up about a quarter of the way in. It just didn't hold my interest, and that's equally unusual for me to give up on a book.

To offer a contrary opinion, I absolutely loved it.

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by Gazella

Have you read The City & The City? It's on my TBR so I still haven't read it yet, it seems really good. It would be my first time reading anything by Miéville.

Not yet. Although I plan to read everything that man ever wrote haha
However I hear that The City...is quite a different style to Perdido SS. So not on my priority list to read from. Right now that priority list looks like this.

1. King Rat
2. The Scar (New Crobuzon, #2)
3. Iron Council (New Crobuzon, #3)



I see now, I picked some controversial books for my challenge :]

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by HarryT

To offer a contrary opinion, I absolutely loved it.

I loved it as well.

[tecweston]

I gave up on Jonathan Strange halfway through as well.

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by orlok

Me too, I'm afraid. I tried it as an audiobook, and gave up about a quarter of the way in. It just didn't hold my interest, and that's equally unusual for me to give up on a book.

With all the footnotes, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is not well suited for an audiobook. I moaned and groaned about the length while reading it, but I'm glad I read it.

I've read the whole series, and have now just started Deeply Odd, the latest release. I think as a whole the series is inconsistent, and hasn't really delivered on the promise of the first two or three books, veering off into rather strange territory particularly with the 5th one, Odd Apocalypse. Still, I am persevering

He wrote these over a fairly long stretch of time, so that might explain some of the inconsistency. I've only read the first 3 and I found that the novelty (or the oddness) wore off pretty quickly. I guess I should catch up with the new books.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Beginnings by David Weber et al. A collection of stories in Weber's Honorverse setting.

The first story was fun, but

Spoiler:

shows a deep misunderstanding of computers, even granted we're talking about computer technology of a century from now.

But the rest of the stories more than made up for it. Overall, an excellent collection. It's a shame it's let down by a very poor plot point in the first story.

Next up: A Liaden Universe Constellation: Volume 1. Although this will be a quick read, as only one of the stories is new to me, the last one: "Sweet Waters". All the others appear in Liaden Unibus Volume I or II.