Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 12

yvanleterrible · 09-19-2007, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaapjan

Mmm. What have I read?
Past two weeks, The Helmsman series from book 1 to 5, Betrayal, The Eneuch heir, The Crimson Sword and book one of Kingmaker, Kingbreaker.

Could you write the author names please? We're curious. And if you could add little comments on your appreciation it would also be helpful. Thanks.

astra · 09-19-2007, 09:20 AM

Oh, by the way I am 1/4 into Harry Potter and prisonner of Azkaban

nekokami · 10-19-2007, 11:29 AM

Finished Wintersmith (liked it a lot, though perhaps not quite as much as A Hatful of Sky, re-read Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsong and Dragonsinger, read a short piece by James Blish titled "Beep" which was pretty good, read Suzette Haden Elgin's The Language Imperative (non-fiction, highly recommended), and now I've started re-reading Garth Nix's Mister Monday. I was going to re-read Katherine Kurtz' original Deryni series, but apparently I don't have ebooks of them (yet).

Oh, and I also read a bunch of journal articles about education research for my grad class. Love my iLiad!

yvanleterrible · 10-19-2007, 11:49 AM

Amazing neko! I'd have to read all day long to read as much.

Since my last post on this thread, I've read 'Robin' by Steve Jordan, 'Merchanter's Luck', 'Rim Runners', 'Finity's End' and now'Tripoint' on paper from C J Cherryh.
Next, more from Steve Jordan and the Heinlein you suggested.

astra · 10-19-2007, 01:17 PM

Almost finished Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix.

AnemicOak · 10-19-2007, 01:23 PM

Currently reading Elizabeth Moon's Serrano Legacy series. Right now I'm on book 4, 'Once a Hero'. It's also the first book I'm reading on my PRS-505.

nekokami · 10-19-2007, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

'Merchanter's Luck', 'Rim Runners', 'Finity's End' and now'Tripoint' on paper from C J Cherryh.

It helps that I don't watch any tv.

What do you think of those Cherryh books?

VillageReader · 10-19-2007, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

I'm reading Failure Is Not an Option

Then you should add Barbree's memoir to your list - Live from Cape Canaveral. I'm over 120 books this year and this will make it to the top 10 even at this late stage.

VillageReader · 10-19-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra_lestat

Almost finished Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix.

Just started this one - #5 in the October Potter-thon. What better time for Wizards & Witches.

JSWolf · 10-19-2007, 02:36 PM

What I am reading now is Star Trek Worlds of Deep Space Nine Volume 3

yvanleterrible · 10-19-2007, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

It helps that I don't watch any tv.

What do you think of those Cherryh books?

Hmmm! Not as much as the Foreigner series. I liked them for different reasons. As usual Crerryh's writing is appealing. 'Finity's End' is the best story. 'Rim Runners' is built up on "fringe characters"/ sickos, not at all appealing and the story takes too long to develop. 'Merchanter's Luck' is good, it has some positivity that is unusual for Crerryh she always has her stories come out of dramatic near catastrophe experiences where the protagonists are in danger of somewhat easyly solvable problems.
Some little things always bother me in all her futurology.
Coffee is important in 300 years, in deep space?
No one ever has communication technology at their disposal and are always at the mercy of something that has to do with not being able to communicate. This point is relative to most science fiction BTW. In my view, if we extrapolate from 40 years ago through today's communication tecnology to a point in 300 years, everybody will be connected instantly to one another. Now this would be a writing challenge. Just try to imagine the influence of that on the psyche of a growing youg soul and the life of anyone for that matter.

nekokami · 10-19-2007, 05:04 PM

Orson Scott Card looked at the impact of instantaneous communication a little bit, but I agree, I don't know as anyone has really explored this. Partly because we can barely understand what's already happening with the internet, I suppose.

I liked Rimrunners, but I agree that Finity's End is much better. One of the things I really like about FE is the growth of the main character over time. And maybe I particularly relate to the protagonist because my kids are adopted and my older daughter was shuffled around a bit before she came to us. I recognize some of the behaviors Cherryh is writing about, and I think she does a pretty good job portraying them-- and showing how someone could find their way past them.

yvanleterrible · 10-20-2007, 01:18 PM

She's very good with the portrayal of characters, then again hers are transpositions of actual characters formed with today's ways of growing. Are those really lasting human traits brought over from eons of existence or will mankind change as evolution bumps up QI and limits nature's influence on man. That's a whole sphere of psychology that would be worth exploring. There are signs of change with city dwellers that have never been out of their ecology. Man in space will have to reinvent himself.

nekokami · 10-20-2007, 03:57 PM

I think you're right, but it's tough work to extrapolate this. Some authors have tried, though. John Barnes' Orbital Resonance does some of this, as does Ian M. Banks. I think Cherryh chooses to have characters that we can recognize in new situations, rather than trying to explore how people would change in the new situations. Even in her hani novels, the hani have rather humanish personalities, though her other aliens are more believably non-human.

Azayzel · 10-21-2007, 10:12 AM

Heh, been a while since I posted in this thread...

I've finished Altered Carbon (good, fast read with fun action), AD&D Forgotten Realms: Avatar 01 - Shadowdale (also a super-fast read, magic/fighting/chaos. Fun!), and now I'm into the old Shadowrun series again, starting at #1 Never Deal with a Dragon. I read it a while back, but thought I'd jump back in again. So far an interesting and fun read, though character dev is taking a bit 'o time.

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09-19-2007, 09:20 AM	#167
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	Oh, by the way I am 1/4 into Harry Potter and prisonner of Azkaban

10-19-2007, 11:29 AM	#168
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Finished Wintersmith (liked it a lot, though perhaps not quite as much as A Hatful of Sky, re-read Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsong and Dragonsinger, read a short piece by James Blish titled "Beep" which was pretty good, read Suzette Haden Elgin's The Language Imperative (non-fiction, highly recommended), and now I've started re-reading Garth Nix's Mister Monday. I was going to re-read Katherine Kurtz' original Deryni series, but apparently I don't have ebooks of them (yet). Oh, and I also read a bunch of journal articles about education research for my grad class. Love my iLiad!

10-19-2007, 11:49 AM	#169
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Amazing neko! I'd have to read all day long to read as much. Since my last post on this thread, I've read 'Robin' by Steve Jordan, 'Merchanter's Luck', 'Rim Runners', 'Finity's End' and now'Tripoint' on paper from C J Cherryh. Next, more from Steve Jordan and the Heinlein you suggested.

10-19-2007, 01:17 PM	#170
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	Almost finished Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix.

10-19-2007, 01:23 PM	#171
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Currently reading Elizabeth Moon's Serrano Legacy series. Right now I'm on book 4, 'Once a Hero'. It's also the first book I'm reading on my PRS-505.

10-19-2007, 02:36 PM	#175
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,727 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	What I am reading now is Star Trek Worlds of Deep Space Nine Volume 3

10-19-2007, 05:04 PM	#177
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Orson Scott Card looked at the impact of instantaneous communication a little bit, but I agree, I don't know as anyone has really explored this. Partly because we can barely understand what's already happening with the internet, I suppose. I liked Rimrunners, but I agree that Finity's End is much better. One of the things I really like about FE is the growth of the main character over time. And maybe I particularly relate to the protagonist because my kids are adopted and my older daughter was shuffled around a bit before she came to us. I recognize some of the behaviors Cherryh is writing about, and I think she does a pretty good job portraying them-- and showing how someone could find their way past them.

10-20-2007, 01:18 PM	#178
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	She's very good with the portrayal of characters, then again hers are transpositions of actual characters formed with today's ways of growing. Are those really lasting human traits brought over from eons of existence or will mankind change as evolution bumps up QI and limits nature's influence on man. That's a whole sphere of psychology that would be worth exploring. There are signs of change with city dwellers that have never been out of their ecology. Man in space will have to reinvent himself.

10-20-2007, 03:57 PM	#179
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	I think you're right, but it's tough work to extrapolate this. Some authors have tried, though. John Barnes' Orbital Resonance does some of this, as does Ian M. Banks. I think Cherryh chooses to have characters that we can recognize in new situations, rather than trying to explore how people would change in the new situations. Even in her hani novels, the hani have rather humanish personalities, though her other aliens are more believably non-human.

10-21-2007, 10:12 AM	#180
Azayzel Cache Ninja! Posts: 643 Karma: 1002300 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: PRS-500, HTC Shift, iPod Touch, iPaq 4150, TC1100, Panasonic WordsGear	Heh, been a while since I posted in this thread... I've finished Altered Carbon (good, fast read with fun action), AD&D Forgotten Realms: Avatar 01 - Shadowdale (also a super-fast read, magic/fighting/chaos. Fun!), and now I'm into the old Shadowrun series again, starting at #1 Never Deal with a Dragon. I read it a while back, but thought I'd jump back in again. So far an interesting and fun read, though character dev is taking a bit 'o time.