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

[benham]

Just starting Burglers Can't Be Choosers by Lawrence Block.

[bfisher]

Originally Posted by covingtoncat73

The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein! It is very good so far.

I finished Fever. It was a good novel. I recommend it if you like realistic historical fiction. Anyway, it was a swift enough read for me. I'm glad to be onto something with elements of fantasy now, though.

Some of the blurbs I've seen compare "The Steerswoman" to the writings of Ursula K LeGuin. Is that your impression so far?

[CRussel]

Somehow, that isn't how I think of her writing. I admit, it's been years since I read an LeGuin, but my memory is of a much less approachable narrative. I don't want to say a whole lot about the plot, for fear of providing an unintentional spoiler that I think it's important you come to on your own. Rowan is a Steerswoman, one of a group, of mostly women, who started out as navigators and who now travel (mostly on shank's mare) and learn about the land and the people. They can be asked any question, and must answer truthfully. But in return, you must answer any question they put to you truthfully. If you refuse to answer, you are put under "Steerswoman's Ban" and no Steerswoman (or Steersman) may answer any question you ask them, even casual questions. There are also magicians in the world, most of whom are under ban because they refused to answer questions about their magic.

As Rowan walks, she keeps a journal and updates maps, and both gains and disseminates knowledge. She becomes intrigued by unusual blue "jewels", and meets up with an "Outskirter", a barbarian warrior woman who has a belt of the jewels. They become travel companions and the subject of attacks by the magicians for their curiosity about the jewels.

[PurpleStar]

I finished Dark Witch by Nora Roberts. It was just okay. I would recommend if you like horses and/or witches. I have an interest in reading the second book, but I'm not in any hurry.

Next up, I'm going to read Hollow World by Michael J. Sullivan. Been looking forward to this one for awhile and it's finally here!(DRM-Free and couponable at Kobo )

[Namekuseijin]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

That was indeed a good book, and it sparked quite a discussion in the MobileRead Book Club back in January 2010. You might want to take a peek at that thread:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...=Machine+Stops

nice

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Well, not an Alice Munro story, but I decided to do a quick re-read of Protector, the previous book in the Foreigner series. I decided I needed to get my head back in Foreigner space and remember who was doing what to whom before I started Peacemaker.

About half way through, and I think it was a wise decision, even though it means it will be a couple of days until I get to Peacemaker. I'm also really annoyed that Peacemaker is not WhisperSync for Voice enabled. Really, folks, this annoys me no end.

Devoured both of these -- enjoyed the re-read and glad I did it. Caught me up to where I needed to be. And very much enjoyed Peacemaker - An excellent addition to the series. In Peacemaker, we focus almost exclusively on domestic problems (well, domestic if we include a bit of the Station as part of it, which we should.) The long standing domestic problems, which Tabini and Bren have been fighting or dealing with, come to a head, just as Cajeiri's fortunate 9th birthday is about to happen, and his guests from the Station have come to visit. Very annoyed that there was no WhisperSync for Voice, however.

Now struggling to figure out what I want to read. Nothing is taking my fancy. So I thought I'd try an Audible Georgette Heyer, but as soon as I started it, I realized I'd read it recently. Sure enough, it's on my list for 2012. Then started to listen to Changers by Jennifer Roberson, and just was not impressed at all with the beginning. So I seem stuck on both eBooks and audio books right now. Not good.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It was rightly part of the 5 star thread. An excellent fantasy, which I greatly enjoyed. That does mean that Max Gladstone's other book is now on my wishlist, but at around £10 (£12.59 at Kobo) it will have to wait for a price drop or a very good coupon.

Next up: Asimov's SF, June 2014 which just came out a day or two ago.

And was a bit below par for me. There was a steampunk that really didn't appeal, and nothing that stood out.

Next was Analog SF, June 2014, which was a good issue.

And now I'm going to read No Going Back by Mark L. Van Name, the latest in his "Jon and Lobo" series. I missed getting this in a Baen bundle when it came out, in 2012, and it hasn't been in a bundle since. Luckily, many Baen books are now available through Kobo in ePub format, DRM-free and couponable. I picked this one up for just $2.79 thanks to a 75% off Kobo competition coupon - about the same discount as for an entire monthly bundle of new books. I may be buying fewer Baen bundles in future if the Kobo discount codes keep coming.

[covingtoncat73]

Originally Posted by bfisher

Some of the blurbs I've seen compare "The Steerswoman" to the writings of Ursula K LeGuin. Is that your impression so far?

Originally Posted by CRussel

Somehow, that isn't how I think of her writing. I admit, it's been years since I read an LeGuin, but my memory is of a much less approachable narrative. I don't want to say a whole lot about the plot, for fear of providing an unintentional spoiler that I think it's important you come to on your own. Rowan is a Steerswoman, one of a group, of mostly women, who started out as navigators and who now travel (mostly on shank's mare) and learn about the land and the people. They can be asked any question, and must answer truthfully. But in return, you must answer any question they put to you truthfully. If you refuse to answer, you are put under "Steerswoman's Ban" and no Steerswoman (or Steersman) may answer any question you ask them, even casual questions. There are also magicians in the world, most of whom are under ban because they refused to answer questions about their magic.

As Rowan walks, she keeps a journal and updates maps, and both gains and disseminates knowledge. She becomes intrigued by unusual blue "jewels", and meets up with an "Outskirter", a barbarian warrior woman who has a belt of the jewels. They become travel companions and the subject of attacks by the magicians for their curiosity about the jewels.

Oh, I love Le Guin but the writing style is different. I do see why people compare it, though, as there are some similar plot elements and both are character-driven. However, Le Guin does use a more fable-like narrative, which I do like, and Steerswoman uses a more modern style.

[Gazella]

Just finished reading A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. It’s one of the most disturbing, thought-provoking yet gripping novels I’ve read. The novel is divided into three parts (seven chapters each). The first part follows the main protagonist (and narrator), Alex, fifteen years old, and his gang as they run amok and "ultra-violent" (robbing, beating, raping, etc.). The second part follows Alex’s time in prison. And the third and final part focuses on Alex’s acclimation back into society, ending with the final controversial chapter that changes everything.

A Clockwork Orange is not an easy novel to read by any means. It’s laborious. And all due to the Nadsat (“teenage") argot, which much of the novel is narrated in. For example: “Horroshow” means good, “viddy/viddied" is see/saw, “millicent” means police, "appy-polly loggies" apparently means apologies and so on. It seemed gibberish and got me all confused at first, especially the first few chapters, I was like what the heck am I reading?? I almost gave up on it but then as I progressed and have come across the words in different context I figured it out and got the hang of it and started to enjoy the story more. But even then, I did have to stop and remind myself what a certain word meant. To give examples of Nadsat language in the novel:


"There was a doddery starry schoolmaster type veck, glasses on and his rot open to the cold nochy air.”

Starry: old
Veck: guy
Rot: mouth
Nochy: night

(much more comprehensible now, huh)

“I thought of all those kots and koshkas mewing for moloko and getting none, not any more from their starry forella of a mistress.”

Kots: cats
Koshkas: kittens
Moloko: milk
Forella: lady


It's a very good novel, if you have the patience and you don't really mind reading explicitly violent scenes, that is.




Just for fun, in the spoiler tag I posted my iPhone; it's relevant to the novel. Check it out

Spoiler:

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

And now I'm going to read No Going Back by Mark L. Van Name,

An excellent continuation of the Jon and Lobo series. Very much up to the level of the previous books, and I eagerly await the next.

Next up: Reboots by Mercedes Lackey and Cody Martin. This month's freebie from Phoenix Pick, although I'm counting it as $0.99, as I bought it in a bundle with the sequel.

[bfisher]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Somehow, that isn't how I think of her writing. I admit, it's been years since I read an LeGuin, but my memory is of a much less approachable narrative. I don't want to say a whole lot about the plot, for fear of providing an unintentional spoiler that I think it's important you come to on your own. Rowan is a Steerswoman, one of a group, of mostly women, who started out as navigators and who now travel (mostly on shank's mare) and learn about the land and the people. They can be asked any question, and must answer truthfully. But in return, you must answer any question they put to you truthfully. If you refuse to answer, you are put under "Steerswoman's Ban" and no Steerswoman (or Steersman) may answer any question you ask them, even casual questions. There are also magicians in the world, most of whom are under ban because they refused to answer questions about their magic.

As Rowan walks, she keeps a journal and updates maps, and both gains and disseminates knowledge. She becomes intrigued by unusual blue "jewels", and meets up with an "Outskirter", a barbarian warrior woman who has a belt of the jewels. They become travel companions and the subject of attacks by the magicians for their curiosity about the jewels.

Thanks, sounds very interesting.

[bfisher]

Originally Posted by covingtoncat73

Oh, I love Le Guin but the writing style is different. I do see why people compare it, though, as there are some similar plot elements and both are character-driven. However, Le Guin does use a more fable-like narrative, which I do like, and Steerswoman uses a more modern style.

Thanks. it sounds quite interesting, and I'm adding it to my TBR.

[bfisher]

I just finished reading "The Sleepwalkers" by Christopher Clark. It took me a long time to read it. It was substantial - 562 pages not including notes, and Clark is an academic (Professor in Modern European History at Cambridge). However, his style was quite readable. What made it such a long read for me was that it was challenging views and assumptions about the origins of World War 1 that I have held all my life, so I had to break frequently to think about what I was reading. Barbara Tuchman's "The Guns of August" made a deep impression on me when I read it as a young adult, and in many ways it accorded with the accepted wisdom of the mellieu I grew up in - when I was in high school, there were still many active WW1 veterans in my community, and I absorbed the prevailing wisdom of the place and time.

I don't think that I will be throwing overboard all of my previous viewpoint on the origins of World War 1, but "The Sleepwalkers" did suggest to me a more nuanced view. This summer is the 100th anniversary of the start of World War 1, arguably the most transformative event in modern history since the French Revolution. if you are interested in the origins of World War 1, you might have a look at "The Sleepwalkers", but balance it by reading "The Guns of August". For me, "The Sleepwalkers" is one of the most interesting books that I have read in years.

JFK was supposed to have been impressed by "The Guns of August", and reportedly told Robert Kennedy that he did not want a future book to be titled "The Missiles of October". I wonder what he would have made of "The Sleepwalkers"?

The last sentence in "The Sleepwalkers":
"... the protagonists of 1914 were sleepwalkers, watchful but unseeing, haunted by dreams, yet blind to the reality of the horror they were about to bring into the world."

[benham]

Finished Burglars Can't Be Choosers, #1 in the Bernie Rhodenbarr series by Lawrence Block. Very entertaining!

[CRussel]

They are fun books. I just grabbed the latest one from the Prime Lending Library and will read it sometime this month. I'm looking forward to it. Even though it's been years since I read a Burglars book, I know it will be fun.

Right now I'm reading #19 in the Phryne Fisher series from Kerry Greenwood. Unnatural Habits. I was in a bit of a funk before I started reading this, couldn't decide what to read. And then remembered I'd been saving this for just such a time. What a delight Phryne is!! Truly. I hope Amazon US gets its act together and makes #20 available soon. Otherwise, I think I'm going to have to take a little vacation to Australia for a few minutes to correct that little problem.