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

[Dngrsone]

Why is it that 90% of the teasers for books with female protagonists have to mention possible romance or romance in jeopardy? Is it not possible to have a female lead who isn't trying to find love on the wrong side of the conflict, or whose love-life is immaterial to the conflict at hand?

At any rate, almost done with Engaging the Enemy, whose female protagonist has no romantic entanglements, TYVM, Likely the next item on the TBR is going to be non-fic, either another rock memoir or something more innocuous like Salt: A World History.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Did a one-day read of Martha Wells' All Systems Red last weekend.

Also reading the recent translation of Reputations by Juan Gabriel Vasquez.

Finished both Reputations by Juan Gabriel Vasquez and Kevin J. Anderson's Forest of Stars.

Moving on to Ron Rash's Above the Waterfall and Karen Joy Fowler's We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

I just finished a re-read of the original Valdemar Arrows trilogy from Mercedes Lackey. This really has not stood up well for me. I am sick and tired of whiny, self-doubting, self-flagellating heroines. At best, a 3 for the series overall, I'm afraid.

Next up, The Furthest Station, a novella in the Peter Grant series from Ben Aaronovich. And then Hidden Figures, the book that the movie was based on.

Finished The Furthest Station, which was a novella, and therefore shorter than I always want with this author, but it did bring along the overall story line and started fleshing out a minor character that I think could become more as time goes on.

Next up, Hidden Figures, the story of the black Computers who were so instrumental in our early space program. This is our MobileRead Book Club selection for July, and I'm quite looking forward to this read.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Luffy

Thanks for this comprehensive list. As for me, my topmost favorites are set in stone. Also I just have an indelible feeling that my 9th most favorite book is Nightfall, by Nelson Demille.

It seemed to me that Night Fall by Nelson DeMille, is an interesting test of why you read a book: for the journey or for the destination.

I'm not sure if what I have to say next really needs to go in a spoiler tag or not, but just in case:

Spoiler:

This one was a fun ride but has no good destination. DeMille himself admits in the acknowledgements that he painted himself into a corner with this one. First time through I was quite annoyed to reach that ending, but I later re-read it* and, knowing what to expect, I was able to enjoy the ride and not feel let down at the end.

So it's never going to be rated as a favourite for me, but I did enjoy it.

* I am a big enough fan of DeMille that even his worst books - and this isn't one of them - have been given a second chance.

[astrangerhere]

I have the day off, but my lovely spouse does not. As such, i spent all morning in a coffee shop near her office finishing The Oxford Book of Japanese Short Stories edited by Theodore Goosen. My first 5/5 read in a few months.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by gmw

It seemed to me that Night Fall by Nelson DeMille, is an interesting test of why you read a book: for the journey or for the destination.

I'm not sure if what I have to say next really needs to go in a spoiler tag or not, but just in case:

Spoiler:

This one was a fun ride but has no good destination. DeMille himself admits in the acknowledgements that he painted himself into a corner with this one. First time through I was quite annoyed to reach that ending, but I later re-read it* and, knowing what to expect, I was able to enjoy the ride and not feel let down at the end.

So it's never going to be rated as a favourite for me, but I did enjoy it.

* I am a big enough fan of DeMille that even his worst books - and this isn't one of them - have been given a second chance.

Really? The ending blew me away. The ending is part of the reason why I love it so much.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Luffy

Really? The ending blew me away. The ending is part of the reason why I love it so much.

Yep, really. The ending had cop-out written all through it. Just

Spoiler:

kill the lot and let the reader sort it out.

The only surprising thing about it was that I didn't really believe that DeMille would do it to me (especially not in a John Corey story) ... until he did.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by gmw

Yep, really. The ending had cop-out written all through it. Just

Spoiler:

kill the lot and let the reader sort it out.

The only surprising thing about it was that I didn't really believe that DeMille would do it to me (especially not in a John Corey story) ... until he did.

You sound passionate about this topic. Have you read all John Corey book? Me, I stopped after Wild Fire, which was good, but a decline from the other books. Now Wild Fire, there's a book which has a weak ending.

Spoiler:

The climax where it's Kate dubious plan that saves them

is a greater cop out than Night Fall. We seem to have different opinions. No surprises there. At least we can both agree that it began excellently with Plum Island. Also John Corey's sense of humor is way funnier than Tony Stark(in the Iron man movies) or Mel Gibson in the Lethal Weapon films.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Luffy

You sound passionate about this topic. Have you read all John Corey book? Me, I stopped after Wild Fire, which was good, but a decline from the other books. Now Wild Fire, there's a book which has a weak ending.

Spoiler:

The climax where it's Kate dubious plan that saves them

is a greater cop out than Night Fall. We seem to have different opinions. No surprises there. At least we can both agree that it began excellently with Plum Island. Also John Corey's sense of humor is way funnier than Tony Stark(in the Iron man movies) or Mel Gibson in the Lethal Weapon films.

Passionate? I think I was just really surprised to find Night Fall listed as a favourite. Plum Island and The Lion's Game (the first two John Corey books) were brilliant: great humour, fast paced, good and clever stories. Night Fall is good, almost as good as the first two ... right up until the end, which made the end all the more disappointing to me. I definitely agree that Wild Fire has a weak ending, but it was less disappointing because I wasn't enjoying it much anyway; it was all weak.

We got a reasonable come back for John Corey in The Lion - a bit overdone or something, but still enjoyable. As a fan of the first two books you may want to read this one.

Still on John Corey: I had trouble even finishing The Panther and have yet to work up to giving it a second chance. I found A Quiet End to be just okay (better than Wild Fire but not by a lot). So these last two books you may prefer to leave alone.

The only DeMille that actually makes it onto my favourites list is Cathedral, but a couple others come close: Word of Honour and Gold Coast. (Note: These three are different sorts of story to the John Corey series - so liking Plum Island is no guarantee you will like these.)

(P.S. I'd much rather forget that DeMille ever wrote Spencerville.)

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Analog SF, July/August 2017, edited by Trevor Quachri.

Which was much better than this month's Asimov's

The Novella, "Not Far Enough" was a look at Mars colonisation with some characters that have appeared in older stories. I think The Martian's unrealistic wind sequence my have influenced this one. I'm not convinced that Mars has a thick enough atmosphere to cause the problems shown. But it was fun. The novelettes: "For All Mankind" was a brilliant possible history story set in the days of the Apollo programme. "Belly Up" was an interesting story about far future criminal punishments, and interstellar relations. "Galleon" was a good look at an AI spaceship. "Across the Steaming Sea" was a fun adventure story set on a far-future Earth. The short stories: "The Fool's Stone" was a very good story set in alternate/possible history. "Teamwork" was a nice take on Mars colonisation. "Often and Silently We Come" was a strange but good tale of non-corporeal life forms. "The First Rule Is, You Don't Eat Your Friends" was a nice story about animal intelligence. "Alouette, Gentille Alouette" was a good story about near-future obital operations. "Fat Bubble" was a humorous look at relationships and investments. "Perspective" was a good near-future technological consequences story. "Clarity of Signal" was a refreshing story of the non-discovery of alien intelligence. "Pitch" was a bit odd. I'm not sure what it was. "Phuquiang: A History" was a pseudo-history of the far future, which was only OK. "Blinking Noon and Midnight" was a rather funny story of generational problems with technology. The Probability Zero "A Little Spooky Action" was a brilliant story involving an appearance of Einstein's spirit.

Reviewing, I can't give less than 5/5 for this issue.


Next up: GrantVille Gazette #72 (& I'm still reading Odd Hours.)

[drjd]

Originally Posted by drjd

Now taking up Chase Baker And The Golden Condor by Vincent Zandri, second book of Chase Baker series, another cozy mystery.

I finished reading Chase Baker And The Golden Condor by Vincent Zandri, The Genesis Key by James Barney and The Kukulkan Manuscript by James Steimle during the period. I was too busy in other activities of life to update my status here.

Now I am taking up The Elegant Universe by Brian Green, a non fiction science book during my three days' vacations up north.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: GrantVille Gazette #72 (& I'm still reading Odd Hours.)

Grantville Gazette was a fun as ever, but this did seem a rather short issue.

Back to Odd Hours!

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by Luffy

I've completed Blood Will Tell, which was very nicely written. Now I'm finishing the first Chapter of A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows, #4).

I've read A Fistful of Charms, now I'm rereading A Game of Thrones, which is for a buddy read. I'm Also reading Alpine for you, an old time like comedy and cozy mystery.

Here's my review for A Fistful of Charms:-

For some reason Ivy, one of the vampires in the book, says, I mean exclaims "Shut up!" very often. I wondered from what old horror movie or literature has the author taken this tic and made it her own.

But as you see, I've given the book 3 stars, which is not to be sneered at. I think that the book lacked fiber. It lacked fresh ideas. Yes, the heroine, Rachel, does not travel to the ever after , nor does she invoke a demon. Like Hercule Poirot would say, she has other cats to whip.

The adventures seem episodic. The encounters seem rehashed. I'm thankful that Rachel didn't sleep with every hot man she meets. But there is enough here to keep me puttering to the next book. I didn't empathize much with the vampires. I think no one in history has. Oh wait.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Back to Odd Hours!

Also now finished. Odd gets himself into a much more serious situation that previously. A good supernatural mystery/thriller.

Next up: F&SF for July/August 2017.

[mewmartigan]

Started reading the Liaden universe.

Local Custom was a bit more romance than I was looking for but I knew that going in.
Scout's Progress seems better so far but that's probably only because the two romantic leads have only just met, haha.