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

[OldDarth]

Dr. Drib & Orlok - great to know there are fellow King readers here!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Tour of Duty by Michael Z. Williamson. A collection of his short stories (most/all Mil SF).

With a sprinkling of fantasy too, and some articles. I enjoyed it, but I don't think I'd have bought it outside a bundle.

Next: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Now I have dilemma, I checked out Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay which is the first book in the series that the Showtime series "Dexter" is based on. I have wanted to try them out for a while. But almost as soon as I did that, one of my other holds became available too - Forever Odd by Dean Koontz, book 2 of the Odd Thomas series.

I finished Dexter at lunch today and will start Forever Odd this afternoon. Neil Gaiman's American Gods also came in over the weekend but I think I will wait until after Forever Odd and possibly Doomsday Book if it comes in soon (#2 on the wait list, 2 copies).

While I enjoyed the Dexter book I am not a big fan of ambiguous "heroes". I am not sure I quite believe his "no emotions" personality, despite his cover ups. He kept saying he had no emotions and then immediately having emotions. In the end that seemed incongruous and didn't help the story. Overall, it was just an Ok book for me, nothing special.

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by orlok

Just finished I, Zombie by Hugh Howey, and pondering on what to read next. Maybe Doomsday Book, the MR reading club selection?

What did you think of I, Zombie?

[Geralt]

Changed my mind about starting Assassin's Apprentice and I continued with A Songs of Ice and Fire book 3; A Storm of Swords. It was about time I return to that series rather than starting a new one (even if the new one is finished ). So now that I'm on summer vacation I think it wont take me long to finish..

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Fbone

I decided to try Agent of Change by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. It's evidently an early title in the Liaden series and currently free to download. It's a bit of a struggle for me but I'm hoping to finish it.

Well, that's done. Can't say I enjoyed it but I didn't hate it either. The science part was a little inconsistent. We have FTL spaceships but no sensors or mobile devices. The story continues in the next book but this one ends at a good stopping point. I probably won't continue. Rated D+ [2 stars].

I'll continue with the next Star Trek Vanguard title that I purchased during Kobo's contest.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by caleb72

What did you think of I, Zombie?

I enjoyed it. Told from the perspective of a number of people who have been "converted", and are driven by their zombie nature even though they still remember their previous selves. Trapped in a body that is forced to follow some primal directive they can't control, and for the most part, hate.

I thought it was very well written, with Howey's insightful take on events giving it a realism that I find intriguing. A warning though, I am not often "grossed out" by writing any more, but there were a number of scenes which I was wincing at - Howey managed to shock me more than once.

I gave it 4 stars rather than 5 on Goodreads, mainly because:

Spoiler:

in the end it didn't add anything particularly new to the genre, and didn't really go anywhere. Still a good read, though.

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by orlok

I enjoyed it. Told from the perspective of a number of people who have been "converted", and are driven by their zombie nature even though they still remember their previous selves. Trapped in a body that is forced to follow some primal directive they can't control, and for the most part, hate.

I thought it was very well written, with Howey's insightful take on events giving it a realism that I find intriguing. A warning though, I am not often "grossed out" by writing any more, but there were a number of scenes which I was wincing at - Howey managed to shock me more than once.

Thanks. I heard a sample of Hugh reading out one section and it was pretty much a gross out, but from the reading, the perspective of the story was obvious and that interested me so it went onto my TBR (despite being a book about zombies). Glad you liked it.

[bfisher]

I finished A.N. Wilson's Hitler. While there were some interesting tidbits in it (a new view of Hitler's WWI service), overall it doesn't explain how Hitler was able to come to absolute power in Germany and to build a military machine which came terrifyingly close to world domination, while obviously being barking-mad. Of course, there is a limit in what can be done within 190 short pages.

Overall, I think Laurence Rees did this more effectively in Hitler's Charisma.

[bfisher]

Originally Posted by bfisher

Finished The Snapper. Great dialogue, and the book shows how much Doyle was developing as a writer moving on from The Commitments. I really looking forward to seeing what he does with Jimmy Rabbitte Jr in middle age in The Guts. On to The Van.

Halfway through The Van, and still excellent the second time through - easy to see why it was shortlisted for the Booker.

However, since The Guts is now available, I can't resist jumping to that. First line in the book is Jimmy's DA to Jimmy:

D'yeh do the Facebook thing?

[Stephjk]

Just finished Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. On to The Casual Vacancy now, to see what all the fuss is about!

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by OldDarth

Dr. Drib & Orlok - great to know there are fellow King readers here!

Oh, yes. I'm a huge Stephen King fan and have read almost all of his work.

I discovered him when he had his first professional sale in 'Startling Mysteries," I think it was, back in 1966 or 67. I also used to have many of the Penthouse issues with his short stories.

Unfortunately, I no longer have any of those on hand, having sold much of my King Collection (all those First Edition Doubleday Hardbacks in Mint condition) to buy a 'Fat Mac' [Macintosh] computer back in 1984.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!




Don

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Next up March to the Skies, book three of the Prince Roger/Empire of Man series.

Finished. Of the four books, I think this one is my least favourite, for a variety of reasons. But still a very enjoyable read, and now we're on to We Few, the last in the series, for the moment.

Also reading Antiagon Fire by L. E. Modisett, Jr. as an audio book, read by William Dufries. The Imager series, of which this is part, are books that I don't enjoy reading as simple eBooks, but as audio books, I quite enjoy them. And they're perfect for a workout book, since they require no actual attention.

[CRussel]

Finishing off We Few this afternoon, and moving on to Captain's Share, the fifth book in the Solar Clipper series by Nathan Lowell.

[OldDarth]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Oh, yes. I'm a huge Stephen King fan and have read almost all of his work.

I discovered him when he had his first professional sale in 'Startling Mysteries," I think it was, back in 1966 or 67. I also used to have many of the Penthouse issues with his short stories.

Unfortunately, I no longer have any of those on hand, having sold much of my King Collection (all those First Edition Doubleday Hardbacks in Mint condition) to buy a 'Fat Mac' [Macintosh] computer back in 1984.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!




Don

Everyone has 20 /20 Hindsight but I feel your pain.

BTW since you are a big King fan you may be interested in a podcast that I do with Hans Lilja over at Lilja's Library - http://www.liljas-library.com/podcast.php