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

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Finished this, plus the fourth and fifth Murderbot Diary books. Really quite enjoyable, though hardly deep and profound. 4 stars for the series as a whole, 1 star for the novella at novel pricing. Put myself on the wait list for the 6th in the series, due out this spring, at my library. Which puts me 128th in line on 25 copies. Though I suspect they'll up the copy count by the time it releases.

I missed the book 6 announcement. That means I'm #105 on the waitlist at my library on 1 copy. They'll add a few copies when it comes out though.

For the first 4 parts, they were part of the Tor.com book of the month last year so I was able to get them from that. Otherwise, yes, they are way overpriced for novellas. Hopefully they'll have a repeat or something this year before book 6 comes out.

[Luffy]

My 1 star review of Iced to Death (A Gourmet De-Lite Mystery, #3) by Peg Cochran:-

Spoiler:

Something is happening to me. I can easily guess most cozies's culprits. I also am able to separate the wheat from the chaff with unerring sharpness. I did guess the murderer's identity here but it's not a reward, believe me.

As the conclusion took shape, I saw Gigi, the main character, become more and more unlikeable. The book had a Jekyll and Hyde attribute.

The author knows about characterization. She knows how to create a character that's reasonably authentic and real. But she ought to have spent more time researching. Nothing is definite but maybe she would have stumbled upon a way to a good plot.

[gmw]

Death's Detective by Charlotte E. English. A collection for four fantasy novellas set in a dark Victorian-era-like setting. Some parts are what I'd call technically gruesome, but they weren't that unsettling to read. The first story just drops you in, but it's done pretty well, there's no real confusion, just not much depth to start with, but this grows with each story. A few minor inconsistencies show up along the way, but nothing that bothered me too much. There's a touch of humour and a touch of romance, and again these expand with each story. I had fun. 4/5.

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee. Military science fiction. I'm usually fine with being dropped in the deep end of a story, but it really didn't need to be this convoluted. I spent far too long just trying to decipher some of the sentences. I caught the gist, but couldn't work out why it had to be this way. I'm sure the gibberish would come to have meaning eventually, but I'm not going to find out because I give up. I just don't have the patience for this one.

On Basilisk Station by David Weber. Military science fiction. The main reason I finished this was because I didn't want to fail two books in a row ... that will teach me (well, maybe). The cast was full of American Manticorian heroes who spend lots of time forgiving other's weaknesses because they can all see how wonderful they really are - made my teeth itch. The repetition quickly wore thin, as did the number of times the author found it necessary to describe simple plot points, as if he was sure we'd never be able to keep up. The one surprise was the gore. After being so mild as to be boring for most of the book, the descriptions of violence at the end felt gratuitous. I stretch to 2/5 mainly because it's obvious (far too obvious, really) that a lot of work went into designing the universe.


Judging from those last two books I should probably wipe military science fiction off my list.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by gmw

Judging from those last two books I should probably wipe military science fiction off my list.

Well, you could always try March Upcountry, the first of the Prince Roger books from John Ringo and David Weber. I admit to having found it one of those books that I stayed up way too late finishing. And immediately went out and got the other 3 books in the series. None of which were _quite_ as good, but all still quite enjoyable. (This is also available as a 2 book omnibus with March to the Sea, if you prefer.)

[gmw]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Well, you could always try March Upcountry, the first of the Prince Roger books from John Ringo and David Weber. I admit to having found it one of those books that I stayed up way too late finishing. And immediately went out and got the other 3 books in the series. None of which were _quite_ as good, but all still quite enjoyable. (This is also available as a 2 book omnibus with March to the Sea, if you prefer.)

Thanks for the suggestion ... maybe after those last two books have had a chance to recede from my memory a bit. Part of my problem with Weber may well be a "voice" thing - for reasons that are not always clear, some author voices appeal, but others irritate. Still, I am willing to think that Weber may have refined his voice since those early heady days of On Basilisk Station so I might try something else after a decent interval.

I know I have read some of Yoon Ha Lee's short stories and liked them well enough - which is why I'd picked up Ninefox Gambit - so I'd be willing to try other novels from him eventually.

[Luffy]

My 4 star review of Pretzel Pizza Murder (Papa Pacelli's Pizzeria, #15), by Patti Benning:-

Spoiler:

The murder in the title was eclipsed by the mystery testament that appeared out of nowhere in the book. This is a very short book so to reveal anything about it amounts to spoilers reveal.

I keep giving these low budget books 4 or 5 stars, yet they keep forcing my hand to do just that after each entry in the series.

I wish that there was something more natural about the background of the story, little things, like maybe Ellie needs to go on a diet, or her workers strike, or her grandma falls ill, bless her.

But such details are for less traditional and more modern, and more detailed books. This series is like a stage. It doesn't need that many props. That's it from me.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Arsène Lupin - The Gentleman Burglar by Maurice Leblanc, in a new translation from the French by Josephine Gill.

I bought this at retail price! But the retail price is only £2.15.

It's pretty good. The translation is good, as far as I can tell. There's only one or two clunky sentences that should have been made more colloquial.

The book itself does have a vague story arc, but really reads like lots of short stories made into book form. Not that that's necessarily bad!

I suspect that Arsène Lupin really picks up with the next books. And the encounter with Sherlock Holmes in the last story in the book was amusing.

I shall certainly put the books on my wish list. I might even pick up the next one sometime at full price.

Next up: The Time-travelling Caveman by Terry Pratchett.

this turns out to be a collection of fanciful articles written in his earlu journalistic career, packaged as a children's book. He even has footnotes this early on!

Good so far...

[astrangerhere]

Over the course of the week, I've read all three omnibus volumes of Brian K. Vaughan's Paper Girls, which was my wife's favorite series of 2019. It was a joy to read and look at. Cliff Chiang's art was simply amazing.

I'm currently reading:

• City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett on my Kobo
  
• Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman in audiobook
  
• The Complete Stories by Clarice Lispector in paper form

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I suspect that Arsène Lupin really picks up with the next books. And the encounter with Sherlock Holmes in the last story in the book was amusing.

Having read the Delphi classic LeBlanc collection last month, the 3500+ pages of Lupin are still painfully fresh in my mind. Some of the stories I enjoyed, but even the translator commented on the wildly inconsistent characterisation, with LKupin veering from amiable Robin Hood to ruthless gang leader to detective extraordinaire, even better than both Holmlock Shears and Herlock Sholmes (both of whom he tangles with). There were some gems, my favorites being the shorter stories in which Lupin was (uncharacteristically) shown as other than omniscient, omnipotent and, to all intents and purposes, immortal.

[ReadingManiac]

Discovered a Darkover book on my shelves that I hadn't read yet, Hastur Lord. I'm nearly halfway through it in just two days!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Time-travelling Caveman by Terry Pratchett.

this turns out to be a collection of fanciful articles written in his early journalistic career, packaged as a children's book. He even has footnotes this early on!

Good so far...

And a most enjoyable set of silly fantasy stories is it too. 4/5/

Next up: Lightspeed Magazine #4. 1 and 3 scored 3/5, 2 scored 4/5. If this isn't a 4/5 or better I think I'll take the rest off my TBR.

[PurpleStar]

I finished Battle Ground by Jim Butcher. Will there be more Dresden Files?? I hope so!!!!!!!! Took too long though. Gotta find more time for reading!

I just started All the Colors of Night by Jayne Ann Krentz. Book 2 in her Fogg Lake series.

[Paperbackstash]

I had fun participating in the 24in48 weekend readathon this past weekend - it happened to coincide with a planned day at friend's, however, so I didn't get to participate as much as I liked. It's been June 2020 since the last one, so that's a bit of a bummer, but I did have fun with friends so it all worked out

I finished Watch Hollow, a middle grade audiobook that didn't grab my interest, a paranormal romance series starter (only in the series so far, 2 coming out in March 2021) called Of Secrets and Wolves, a Harlequin romance paperback Sell Me a Dream by Leigh Michaels, and a thriller mystery called The Monsters we make this morning.

Still working on The Stand and haven't progressed anymore on it since last week. I started 3 new audio - The Troop by Nick Cutter (horror), Angela's Ashes (memoir), and The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins (Mystery). I STILL need to finish the anthology Lost Highways, just six short stories left, I don't know what my problem is with getting these things finished. I'm going to start The Noose of a New Moon (offbranch of another urban fantasy series I enjoy by Helen Harper) that was released at beginning of February after I pre-ordered it in January. Usually I fly through those types of books, and need something new and easy to read to take my mind off pending car repair anxiety.

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by PurpleStar

I finished Battle Ground by Jim Butcher. Will there be more Dresden Files?? I hope so!!!!!!!! Took too long though. Gotta find more time for reading!

I just started All the Colors of Night by Jayne Ann Krentz. Book 2 in her Fogg Lake series.

I read the first 2 books in Dresden and they didn't grab me. I want to continue the series someday, but I would need to re-read the first 2 to recall what happened. My memory blows and it's been too long to have proper continuation of the series if I just suddenly started up again with book 3. They are pretty popular, glad you enjoyed. Have no idea how long the series is at this point.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

I read the first 2 books in Dresden and they didn't grab me. I want to continue the series someday, but I would need to re-read the first 2 to recall what happened. My memory blows and it's been too long to have proper continuation of the series if I just suddenly started up again with book 3. They are pretty popular, glad you enjoyed. Have no idea how long the series is at this point.

For me, the first three books were the hardest to get through. Book 4 hooked me though. Really felt like they came together there. I wouldn't worry too much about re-reading before moving on. As long as you have the gist it should come back to you. See if you get hooked first, then go back and re-read if you want to. If you make it past book 4 and still feel ambivalent, then don't bother.

So far, there are 17 books and a couple short story anthologies.