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

[HarryT]

Finished "The Danger", by Dick Francis. This book continues the theme of his recent books of being about professions linked to, but not directly involved with, the world of racing. The protagonist of this book is Andrew Duncan, a partner in a company which advises wealthy people about precautions they can take to avoid being kidnapped and, should the worst happen, negotiate with kidnappers for their safe release. When Andrew is involved in several kidnap cases involving people associated with the racing world, he realises that an international gang is at work, and sets out to track down their leader.

Very enjoyable, although not quite up to the standard of the previous book, "The Banker", to my mind - perhaps because there's little depiction of racing in it, and that's what Francis does best. Still, highly recommended.

[Dngrsone]

Finished Dragon's Egg by Robert L. Forward. A nice hard SF, though frankly, I couldn't wrap my head around the orbital dynamics that could keep the ship in a (stellasynchronous?) orbit above the East magnetic pole and yet still allow the residents on said ship to see the stars as stationary. Maybe I'm just too old to get it.

Anyhow, 36% through the Numbers book, which I do intend on finishing. I have a lot of good stuff in my queue, including the latest Serafina offering.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

I also started listening to Trading in Danger, the first in Elizabeth Moon's Vatta's War series. I have it marked as read on goodreads, but I have no memory at all of it.

Just finished Meddling Kids. It was not a good book, but it was some seriously entertaining brain candy. Why Cantero felt the need to switch back and forth between prose and script-writers format baffles me, but it was not distracting enough to kill the story.

Still listening to Trading in Danger. Not sure what I'll pick on the Kobo next.

[bfisher]

Originally Posted by Dngrsone

Finished Dragon's Egg by Robert L. Forward. A nice hard SF, though frankly, I couldn't wrap my head around the orbital dynamics that could keep the ship in a (stellasynchronous?) orbit above the East magnetic pole and yet still allow the residents on said ship to see the stars as stationary. Maybe I'm just too old to get it.

I read that when it came out and was impressed by the science, but thought that it too obviously replicated the form of earth civilizations. I understand that there was a sequel at some point, but haven't read it yet.

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by bfisher

I read that when it came out and was impressed by the science, but thought that it too obviously replicated the form of earth civilizations. I understand that there was a sequel at some point, but haven't read it yet.

Yes, there are dome painfully obvious parallels in there, but he avoided proselytizing and concentrated on the science, which I liked.

I may or may not be interested in a sequel. As far as I am concerned, this was a really good standalone, and no further exploration of the story is required.

[HarryT]

The sequel is "Starquake", but it seems not to be available as an eBook (in the UK, at least).

[Dngrsone]

Ah, then I shall not worry about acquiring it.

Meanwhile, I have math to read, and I am looking at a memoir by Pat Benatar...

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Dngrsone

Ah, then I shall not worry about acquiring it.

Meanwhile, I have math to read, and I am looking at a memoir by Pat Benatar...

I liked the Pat Benatar memoir.

[BelleZora]

I just finished The Late Show, Michael Connelly's latest mystery/police procedural. Every book by Connelly is a solid 4+ star read, and this one is no exception.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Reality Is Not What It Seems by Carlo Rovelli. My most recent purchase, and non-fiction! A bit of a change of pace. I'm not sure how much he says will be new to me, but it'll be interesting to have an overview of current physics.

It covered physics well, in an abbreviated fashion. I found the description of how space can be finite but unbounded to be very good. It was very good at saying when it was moving into current research, and had a description of quantum loop gravity that I could just about follow.

Overall, an interesting book about the current limits in physics, and one possible way forward.

Next up: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman. Almost the complete opposite to the previous book, except that both make clear their limits - the former about what is not yet known, the latter about what is not now known because it has been lost.

[ReadingManiac]

I'm gearing up to start reading Horror books in the run up to Halloween. It's about time I read stuff like Day of the Triffids and The Rats.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

. Not sure what I'll pick on the Kobo next.

Well, I had more time on my hands yesterday than I had planned, so I got all the way through Kobo Abe's The Woman in the Dunes.

Followed that by starting James Agee's A Death in the Family.

I was feeling the need for something weighty and both fit the bill.

[HarryT]

Finished "The Regiment's War", by John Dalmas. This is the third book in the "Regiment" series, and forms the final third of the Baen omnibus "The Regiment: A Trilogy", which I bought in 2004. In this book the regiment, whose formation and training we've followed in the first two books, are hired to support a country which has been invaded by its much more powerful neighbour. Excellent military SF, and I thoroughly recommend this entire series. Unfortunately, it's no longer available to buy from Baen, and doesn't seem to be available from any other publisher, which is a real shame.

There are two more books in the series, which I'm very much looking forward to reading.

[JSWolf]

My current read is Playmates by Robert B. Parker. It is the 16th book in the Spenser series.

Spenser smells corruption in a college town. Taft University's hottest basketball star is shaving points for quick cash. All manner of sleaze—from corrupt academics to hoods with graduate degrees—have their fingers in the pot.

Spenser's search takes him from lecture halls to blue collar bars and finally into a bloody confrontation with almost certain death. But Spenser saves an arrogant young athlete—even though it nearly kills him to do it.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman.

Most enjoyable. Clear, readable, English versions of the stories of the Norse Gods. Most I already knew, but some were new to me.

Now: The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side by Agatha Christie. Her 63rd mystery, that I bought way back in February 2010.