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

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

A ridiculous premise, but an exciting read. I think I'll move onto the next two straight away.

So next up:

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

[pilotbob]

I'm half way through (audio book) _The Paladin of Challion_ by Lois McMasters Bujold and it is quite good. Although it takes her a while to get to the meat of the story... the early story is good an entertaining... and I know from previous books she will tie it all together.

I am also about 50% into _The Vault_ by MR member Boyd Morrison. It is very entertaining. They guy writes page turner stuff.

Both books highly recommended so far.

BOb

[tecweston]

Just Finished:

- The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King - It was pretty enjoyable, i liked that it tried to evolve the Sherlock Holmes character and introduce new characters rather than just mimicking Conan Doyle. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Currently Reading:

- A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (68%)

- Skeleton Crew by Stephen King (19%)

- Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain (~20%) [on hold]

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by tecweston

Just Finished:

- The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King - It was pretty enjoyable, i liked that it tried to evolve the Sherlock Holmes character and introduce new characters rather than just mimicking Conan Doyle. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.....

I agree, I'm on Chapter 11 of 19 and really am enjoying it.

[CRussel]

Finished: The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold. This is the first of a trilogy, and I really enjoyed it. Interesting characters, interesting premise, and, of course, well plotted. (I was up until WAY too late last night finishing it!) Definitely recommended.

I think I'm going to jump straight into the second, Paladin of Souls

[The Terminator]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

A ridiculous premise, but an exciting read. I think I'll move onto the next two straight away.

So next up:

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

I'm a little surprised that you're reading YA fiction. I haven't read them, are they actually pretty good?



Stupid question but, how is The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy series?

I've been wanting to read them for a while, and I can get all five from Kobo for $13, which seems like a good deal.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I'm half way through (audio book) _The Paladin of Challion_ by Lois McMasters Bujold and it is quite good.

Curse of Chalion or Paladin of Souls?

I liked them a lot, although perhaps not quite as much as her standalone book The Spirit Ring.

I'm hoping that she will do some more books set in the Chalion universe.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Curse of Chalion or Paladin of Souls?

I liked them a lot, although perhaps not quite as much as her standalone book The Spirit Ring.

I'm hoping that she will do some more books set in the Chalion universe.

I just started "reading" The Spririt Ring on Audible. And since I have to hit the road this weekend, I might actually get a chance to finish it!

I really liked the Sharing Knife universe as well, wouldn't mind reading some more there, though she really closed it off and tied up all the loose ends, so obviously not likely to happen.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Curse of Chalion or Paladin of Souls?

I liked them a lot, although perhaps not quite as much as her standalone book The Spirit Ring.

I'm hoping that she will do some more books set in the Chalion universe.

That's what I get for relying on my memory. It is the second book. Paladin of Souls.

BOb

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I'm reading Dear Mr. Holmes: Seven Holmes on the Range Mysteries by Steve Hockensmith. Yes, I know I mercilessly ragged Hockensmith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but this offering is hilarious and the mysteries are extremely entertaining. To be sure, I hated P&P&Z so much, I wouldn't have given this author a second thought had I not heard one of his stories on the Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine's Fiction Podcast (Episode 16: "Fruitcake" by Steve Hockensmith) without realizing until after the podcast that it was the same author.

If you're curious about the Holmes on the Range series, you can listen to the short story "Dear Doctor Watson" free at Ellery Queen's home at PodOmatic.

Very highly recommended.

Correction: Steve Hockensmith did NOT write Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. That book was written by Seth Grahame-Smith (and Jane Austin). I discovered my error when I received one of those "More by Seth Grahame-Smith" emails from Amazon this morning, and a light went off in my head. That's the P&P&Z guy, I thought. Something's wrong.

What Steve Hockensmith wrote was a prequel (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls) to Seth Grahame-Smith's book and a sequel (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After). Hence my confusion.

[HomeInMyShoes]

I'm reading Catherynne M. Valente's The Labyrinth.

[poohbear_nc]

I accidentally discovered a brilliantly weird detective series that I was totally unaware of - and have no idea how I missed it! The Commissaire Adamsberg series by Fred Vargas - I haven't read lyrical yet weird writing of this caliber in a loooooong time - and I'm speaking of the English translation of the French original text. Vargas must have a quite differently wired brain -- her (yes, Fred is short for Frédérique) characters and plots combine the macabre and the slapstick and the sublime. For instance, in the first book The Chalk Circle Man, the main characters/suspects are an ichthyologist who follows strangers through the streets of Paris, a handsome blind man who helps sighted people cross the street, an old lady devoted to answering personal ads, etc. Plus a mysterious stranger, who may or may not be a murderer, that draws blue chalk circles around debris on the sidewalk at night. Plus a lead detective who eschews logic but can read people's intents. With a sidekick that gets drunk every afternoon.

Unfortunately, only the last book in the series is available as an ebook (AFAIK), but I had to break down & get the rest in paperback - they are just too delicious - I have to read all of them now!

Highly recommended!

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I accidentally discovered a brilliantly weird detective series that I was totally unaware of - and have no idea how I missed it! The Commissaire Adamsberg series by Fred Vargas - I haven't read lyrical yet weird writing of this caliber in a loooooong time - and I'm speaking of the English translation of the French original text. Vargas must have a quite differently wired brain -- her (yes, Fred is short for Frédérique) characters and plots combine the macabre and the slapstick and the sublime. For instance, in the first book The Chalk Circle Man, the main characters/suspects are an ichthyologist who follows strangers through the streets of Paris, a handsome blind man who helps sighted people cross the street, an old lady devoted to answering personal ads, etc. Plus a mysterious stranger, who may or may not be a murderer, that draws blue chalk circles around debris on the sidewalk at night. Plus a lead detective who eschews logic but can read people's intents. With a sidekick that gets drunk every afternoon.

Unfortunately, only the last book in the series is available as an ebook (AFAIK), but I had to break down & get the rest in paperback - they are just too delicious - I have to read all of them now!

Highly recommended!

I found that Fred Vargas was born in Paris in 1957. My first thought was, "She's pretty old. Wonder if she's still alive?" My second thought was "I was born in 1950."

Damn. I'm old. How did that happen?

Anyway, I downloaded a sample of the only Commissaire Adamsberg they had available (An Uncertain Place: A Commissaire Adamsberg Mystery by Fred Vargas and Sian Reynolds).

[GeckoFriend]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I found that Fred Vargas was born in Paris in 1957. My first thought was, "She's pretty old. Wonder if she's still alive?" My second thought was "I was born in 1950."

Damn. I'm old. How did that happen?

I felt really old yesterday when I looked at a book labeled historical fiction and realized the events happened when I was in high school. Historical fiction?

[The Terminator]

Originally Posted by GeckoFriend

I felt really old yesterday when I looked at a book labeled historical fiction and realized the events happened when I was in high school. Historical fiction?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_fiction

I don't think historical fiction means that the events took place a long time ago, but just that they took place in the past.