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

[Apache]

Right now I am just starting to read the third book in the Inspector Chen Mystery Series by Qiu Xiaolong.
Inspector Chen
1. Death of a Red Heroine (2000)
2. A Loyal Character Dancer (2002)
3. When Red Is Black (2004)
4. A Case of Two Cities (2006)
5. Red Mandarin Dress (2007)
6. The Mao Case (2009)
7. Don't Cry, Tai Lake (2012)
8. The Enigma of China (2013)
9. Shanghai Redemption (2015)

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/q/qiu-xiaolong/
So far an excellent series.
Apache

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Luffy

Nevertheless I do recognize that ditching books willy nilly is wasteful.

But wasting ones time on a book that isn't enjoyable is also wasteful. It's a question of striking a balance. This year I've abandoned about 6.5% of the books I started reading. A bit higher than my historical average, but then, I used to be like Harry, and I hated to abandon a book.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

But wasting ones time on a book that isn't enjoyable is also wasteful. It's a question of striking a balance. This year I've abandoned about 6.5% of the books I started reading. A bit higher than my historical average, but then, I used to be like Harry, and I hated to abandon a book.

I think there are two reasons I can think right now why many persist with a bad book. 1) It's a challenge to complete said book or 2) Who knows, the book might get better soon. Maybe 3) You want to know what happens in the end.

None of the above reasons can be called irrational. A balance is needed though, agreed there.

[poohbear_nc]

I FINALLY made it through Quicksilver, volume 1 of Neal Stephenson's ambitious (and lengthy) Baroque Cycle. I had made numerous previous attempts, but always bogged down in the lengthy mid-section set in war-torn Europe, which featured the invention of the stock market. The scope of Stephenson's historical knowledge is staggering, as are his imaginative riffs on historical characters and events.

I think I'll wait a bit before embarking upon The Confusion.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I FINALLY made it through Quicksilver, volume 1 of Neal Stephenson's ambitious (and lengthy) Baroque Cycle. I had made numerous previous attempts, but always bogged down in the lengthy mid-section set in war-torn Europe, which featured the invention of the stock market. The scope of Stephenson's historical knowledge is staggering, as are his imaginative riffs on historical characters and events.

I think I'll wait a bit before embarking upon The Confusion.

I tend to get bogged down in Stephenson, too. "Cryptonomicon" is one of the very few books I've abandoned, I just found it so heavy going.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I tend to get bogged down in Stephenson, too. "Cryptonomicon" is one of the very few books I've abandoned, I just found it so heavy going.

I typically get bogged down when the going gets heavy too, but for some reason, Stephenson is one of those authors who can get away with it with me. His brand of "heavy" just works for me, I guess. I've enjoyed everything he's written. His new books are an automatic release-day buy/read for me.

[CRussel]

I'm in the too heavy to manage camp. I tried one, don't remember which now, and abandoned after a week. I was finding reasons NOT to read. Bad sign.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I tend to get bogged down in Stephenson, too. "Cryptonomicon" is one of the very few books I've abandoned, I just found it so heavy going.

Funnily enough, I found Cryptonomicon a rapid fascinating read -- no problems with finishing it.

In Quicksilver, I really enjoyed the sections focusing on Newton, Waterhouse, and the Royal Society, as well as the early scenes set in the New World (MIT?), but the sections wallowing in the politics of Europe, and the genesis of stock exchange trading proved tedious.

[Dngrsone]

I made it through the Baroque Cycle once, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to do so again. My attention-span isn't quite as long as it used to be, I guess...

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Next up: As You Wish - Cary Elwes

If you are a fan of The Princess Bride you really should read this memoir. It is very good.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Next, is Star Wars: Choices of One by Timothy Zahn purchased back in April 2015.

This was basically about Mara Jade and her mission to kill an Imperial traitor. Luke was young and inexperienced and the other Star Wars characters made an appearance. Long buildup with a weak climax. There were a few twists that kept me interested but overall a rather mediocre book. Rated C- [2 star].

Next is The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan. The second in the Ranger's Apprentice series. Borrowed from the library.

[poohbear_nc]

Finished China Miéville's Railsea -- an imaginative, but shallow, recasting of Moby Dick in a dystopian future world. The restaging of the hunt on land for giant subterranean creatures, and from a train, is a brilliant morphing of the classic sea tale of obsession and vengeance, but the book was WAY too short, with no real character development. It would require a book the size and complexity of Iron Council to fully realize the potential for this new vision.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Finished China Miéville's Railsea -- an imaginative, but shallow, recasting of Moby Dick in a dystopian future world. The restaging of the hunt on land for giant subterranean creatures, and from a train, is a brilliant morphing of the classic sea tale of obsession and vengeance, but the book was WAY too short, with no real character development. It would require a book the size and complexity of Iron Council to fully realize the potential for this new vision.

I was surprised to find out that Railsea is considered by many to be "YA". I don't ever really remember it beng billed that way when it was released, but it definitely caused me to shy away from it. Not that I don't ever read YA. I just wasn't interested in any Mieville YA at that time.

I'm currently about halfway through Lila Bowen's Wake of Vultures. The first book in a Weird Western series. A fun change of pace.

[HarryT]

I recently reported that I'd really enjoyed "The Lizard War", by John Dalmas, but I should add a caveat to that: the author has the protagonist use metric measurements, but the author clearly doesn't actually have a clue about the metric system, which is somewhat annoying. At one point in the story, for example, he has his ankles chained together with a chain "800cm long", which gives him room enough to do a few exercises. "800cm" is 8m, or about 25 feet! Clearly the author meant "80cm", not 800. This issue of multiplying correct lengths by 10 occurs three times that I noticed in the book.

Please learn the difference between cm and mm, Mr Dalmas!

[Hampshire Nanny]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I enjoyed this more than I expected. I will try to get the next one soon(ish).

The entire series is quite enjoyable. Books 2 & 3 are available in Kindle Unlimited.

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Next up: The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. I have been meaning to try something of his for a looooong time so this will work well even though I fully expected to read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep first.

Having just downloaded the recently updated Classics of Science Fiction, this book has moved much higher on the list of books that I want to read. It's #14 on the list, by the way.