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

[jgaiser]

At the end of December, I picked up a few novels from the Warhammer 40K universe because of the recommendations of a reviewer that I trust.

At the end of the year I finished the first, First and Only by Dan Abnett. A good read and a nice introduction to the universe and the beginning a long series (Gaunt's Ghosts - 13 novels at this time). 4 stars. Two more on my list.

I'll finish the second one, Horus Rising by Dan Abnett later this evening. This one is the start of an 19 novels, 18 short stories and 4 novellas series (Horus Heresy). A complex and well written Military Science Fiction novel. 4 stars. I've got 3 more of these to go.

If you have any interest in Military Science Fiction, you should give these a look. Ebooks only available directly from The Black Library.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Firefly by Brian Stableford.

I'm abandoning this. I really liked his "Dragonman" novel, but this book is much more arbitrary and mythic — not at all to my taste. I've got three quarters of the way through (in the hopes that it would grow on me), but I just don't want to bother reading the rest.

Time for something light that I know I'll enjoy: Grantville Gazette #45. The latest (Jan 2013) in the series of short stories, serials and fact articles about Eric Flint's 1632 universe. Fun stuff.

[miklizro]

I have started Peter V. Brett's Desert Cycle series. I am on book two so far. I've been on a paranormal kick and only recently was looking for new fantasy to read. I'm enjoying it a great deal.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I am trying to read A Scanner Darkly, but can't seem to get into it without constant interruption.

I'm now 1/4 of the way through. This story is bizarre. I'm not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing as yet. Some of the dialoge slows me down, but then again, they are all constantly high, so....

I'm hoping to finish it by tomorrow.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Short story I read last night:

The Prophet from Jupiter - Tony Earley

Wow! This is a modern day classic IMO. 4.5/5

I read it in the Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction (1999 edition)

It's available on line here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/7117960/Th...t-From-Jupiter

Thinking about this story again today. That's exactly what makes a story wonderful (regardless of length) when you keep remembering/wondering/being influenced by it...

[HarryT]

I've just finished my first book of 2013: "Can Anyone Hear Me?: Testing Times with Test Match Special on Tour" by Peter Baxter.

Probably not of the slightest interest to anyone who's not a cricket fan, this was, for me, a wonderful book. It's the memoirs of Peter Baxter, the man who was the producer for 34 years of BBC radio's long-running "Test Match Special" commentary programme on English cricket "Test Matches" (ie international cricket matches between England and other countries.) Extremely amusing and well-written. I bought it for 99p in the Amazon UK "12 days of Kindle" sale.

[astrangerhere]

I'm about 1/3 through Jess Walter's Beautiful Ruins and am enjoying it quite a bit. I am very strongly reminded of Michael Cunningham's The Hours save for the base being Hollywood film rather than a Virginia Wolf novel.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

I completed my read of Second Shift: Order. Just after I started reading it my 'Christmas Kindle PaperWhite' arrived by UPS! So my first book of 2013 was read on my new PaperWhite! Second Shift: Order was, as we've grown to expect from Hugh Howey, an excellent book and well worth the price (...er...I know, it was a present)...the asking price!

Right now I'm just starting to read the 14th book of the Leaphorn/Chee mysteries by Tony Hillerman, Hunting Badger.

Finished Hunting Badger which was a treat! I'd slowed down on the Tony Hillerman books recently because I was nearing the end of the series and Hillerman is no longer with us to write any more of them.

Reading Hunting Badger put me in a Native American mood, so I just began reading Jane Yellowrock 2, Blood Cross by Faith Hunter.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I'm abandoning this. I really liked his "Dragonman" novel, but this book is much more arbitrary and mythic — not at all to my taste. I've got three quarters of the way through (in the hopes that it would grow on me), but I just don't want to bother reading the rest.

Time for something light that I know I'll enjoy: Grantville Gazette #45. The latest (Jan 2013) in the series of short stories, serials and fact articles about Eric Flint's 1632 universe. Fun stuff.

Good for you. Abandoning bad books is something that isn't always easy, but good in the long run. Life's too short to waste in books you don't enjoy.

Somehow, when I wasn't looking, they suddenly released eBook versions of all the Ross Thomas books. So, I'm going to start from the very beginning with The Cold War Swap. I expect this to have stood the test of time, since it was always about the characters and the situations they put themselves in. And always extremely well written.

[caleb72]

Just finished The Chimes by Charles Dickens. I have to say I didn't enjoy it that much. For me, the language was a bit tedious and the story too much like A Christmas Carol in flavour.

Although I could get the gist a bit, I really struggled with some sections, and at times I might as well have been reading the dictionary for the comprehension/enjoyment I experienced. In fact, I probably could have got the same level of comprehension reading it in German.

Oh well - that's over.

Now I'm reading an indie book from our own Lindsay Buroker. This one is called Dark Currents and is the second in the Emperor's Edge steampunk fantasy series. The first one I described as 'the A-Team of steam'. I'm guessing this one will build on that image.

[DiapDealer]

I recently finished "Gods of Risk," the latest novella in James S.A. Corey's Expanse series (SciFi). I really enjoy these short, insightful stories. They fill the time spent waiting between novels, and as a functional bonus... serve to further flesh out characters/locations/themes and general back-story in a way that frankly without the novellas, would probably have to be included as mind-numbing info-dumps in the "meat and potatoes volumes." Bravo!
---

I also finished Felix Gilman's The Rise of Ransom City—the second half of a duology that began with The Half-Made World. I'd consider this more of a "true" duology; in that the two volumes are only loosely connected by setting and a few characters. They both stand basically on their own. Even so, I wouldn't recommend reading the second before (or without) the first; there's some concepts and "Powers" at work in the world that get a much more complete introduction in the first book.

Anyway... I feel my bullheaded reluctance to outright dismiss Gilman has finally payed dividends with a work of his that I can say I thoroughly enjoyed. Even long after I'd decided the previous two books of his I'd read just didn't quite do it for me—story-wise—something about his writing continued to "tug" at me. So I couldn't stop reading. This time it all clicked, and I'm glad I stuck it out.

Western, New Weird and Steampunk all rolled up into a classic and powerful first-person, story-within-a-story tale that's just rife with archetypal subtext the reader can chew on (should they enjoy that sort of thing). I look forward to his future endeavors.
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Up next: Warren Ellis's Gun Machine.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Currently reading Strong Poison by Dorothy Sayers. My first with this author but on my TBR list for awhile so when Kobo had Sayers' titles on sale for $2.02 I grabbed two.

This was OK. I figured out everything early in the book and was hoping there was a twist at the end. No, there wasn't. I gave it a C- [2 stars].

I prefer my mysteries to contain more drama and suspense. Even be a little sinister. And, of course, a surprise at the end. I have one more by Sayers to read, however, I'll move it down my reading schedule to give room for unread first time authors.

Next, I'll conclude the Escape From Furnace series with Execution by Alexander Gordon Smith.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

ITime for something light that I know I'll enjoy: Grantville Gazette #45. The latest (Jan 2013) in the series of short stories, serials and fact articles about Eric Flint's 1632 universe. Fun stuff.

Which was as expected. The first story could have been better organised, but a good issue overall. A fun non-1632 fantasy story at the end, and more than you ever wanted to know about ship guns (canons) in the fact article.

Next up: F&SF, January/February 2013 by Spilogale Authors

[bcgirl]

Decided to purchase 11/22/63 by Stephen King, read so many good reviews. Just started, and love it!

[cassidym]

Originally Posted by bcgirl

Decided to purchase 11/22/63 by Stephen King, read so many good reviews. Just started, and love it!

Be sure and let us know what you think when you're done. I like it a lot from start to finish.