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

[drofgnal]

Originally Posted by nana77

Just finished "Project Hail Mary", by Andy Weir (2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Hail_Mary); I've liked it, haven't read nor watched "The Martian"; btw, if I can say something about I was often comparing it to "Red Planet Blues", because Weir's writing seemed a bit like being wrote to be fine as a plot for a movie: when I was reading Sawier's book I was thinking on how that plot was so fast in a timeline that it can't fit on a film script... This was just to say that -imho- visualizing a novel while reading may be enjoyable even when it can't really fit movies.

Now on"Fiasco", by Stanisław Lem (1986).. I'm liking the philosophical trips it takes once and then .

I'd give the Martian a try, I enjoyed it more than Project Hail Mary.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

I'd give the Martian a try, I enjoyed it more than Project Hail Mary.

Agreed. I found Project Hail Mary a bit of a letdown. Sophomore jinx or whatever, but it felt like rushed to meet a deadline to take advantage of the buzz around The Martian

[DiapDealer]

Artemis was the letdown (actually borderline painful) for me RE Andy Weir. Maybe that's why Project Hail Mary felt like a step back in the right direction to me. *shrug*

[Dazrin]

Same here.

Martian > Project Hail Mary >>> Artemis.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Traitor King by Andrew Lownes. This is for an in-person book club, and follows the Duke of Westminster from abdication.

Duke of Windsor, of course. Duke of Westminster’s going gangbusters, richest peer in the UK. Owns a large swath of London, IIRC.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Artemis was the letdown (actually borderline painful) for me RE Andy Weir. Maybe that's why Project Hail Mary felt like a step back in the right direction to me. *shrug*

Let's definitely try to forget Artemis. Please.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Let's definitely try to forget Artemis. Please.

Agreed!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by issybird

Duke of Windsor, of course. Duke of Westminster’s going gangbusters, richest peer in the UK. Owns a large swath of London, IIRC.

Yes, my head said Windsor, and my fingers typed Westminster.

Now fixed in the original.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Traitor King by Andrew Lownes. This is for an in-person book club, and follows the Duke of Windsor from abdication.

So far my only criticism is that I would have liked (a brief) 'life until abdication' chapter.

Whew. Done with this book at last. A detailed look at their life, with loads of references and footnotes.

And in the end, a sad and unfulfilling life it seems to have been. And a lucky escape for the British Empire (and possibly the rest of Europe) that he did not remain 'King and Emperor'.

Next up was the latest Penric story by Lois McMaster Bujold, Testimony of Mute Things. A story from earlier in Penric's life, when he was unmarried.

As expected, an excellent tale.

Then I read a short story in Hal Clement's "Heavy Planet" series, Under, which was good.

And now I'm reading Star Light his second "Heavy Planet" novel.

[Graham44]

Reading Lord of Blackthorne at the moment by Jason Kingsley. A young Knight single-handedly turns the tide of battle against a rebel Baron. As a reward the King grants him a fiefdom but when he arrives it's not quite the castle with fair Maidens he was expecting.

With the reluctant help of one of his new tenants, a Mule - with - no - name and a horse he sets about bringing life back to his new fiefdom and if the need arises defending his new property and the people who call it home. The need will arise I'm sure.

This is a well written book from one of my favourite publishers, Rebellion Publishing and in fact the Author is the CEO and co-owner of Rebellion Publishing. The writing flows nicely, the story/ plotline is captivating and there are some funny moments in it as well so far. I've got to the point in the story where I know something is going to happen soon, but I'm still not sure what it is yet.

Definitely recommend if you enjoy fantasy, it is quite realistic fantasy in the sense it could just be a story set in medieval times with Knights, except their are mention of dragons etc the fantasy side isn't shoved down your throat rather just gently woven throughout the story.

[John F]

Read the The Good Lord Bird by James McBride and watched the series. Both were excellent.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

And now I'm reading Star Light his second "Heavy Planet" novel.

Which was OK, but not as good as the first, and a bit of a sudden ending.

Now reading a book from a bundle, The Orffreus Wheel by David Niall Wilson. Not very impressed so far, but I'll probably finish it.

[Mike Hobart]

[

• LIST=1]
• The Metal Monster by Abraham Merritt (1920)
• Malice by Keigo Higashino (1996)
• New Term At Malory Towers by Pamela Cox (2009)
• Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami (2001)
• The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (2024)
• The Golden Ghouls by Ward Parker (2023)
• Summer Term At Malory Towers by Pamela Cox (2009)
• The House Without a Key by Earl Derr Biggers (1925)
• The Measure Of Malice edited by Martin Edwards (2019)
• Darya Of The Bronze Age by Lin Carter (1981)

[/LIST]

[drofgnal]

I picked up Stephen King’s The Stand as an Amazon deal of the day. It’s the new version where he reinserted many of the 400 pages his publisher suggested he remove. In the preface he says he didn’t put it all back, but based on the page count he put quite a bit of it back.

I’ve never read any Stephen King so I thought I’d take the plunge. It’s not my favorite genre, sci-fi, but post apocalyptic stories I do enjoy. So I’ve got a 1200 pages in front of me.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Now reading a book from a bundle, The Orffreus Wheel by David Niall Wilson. Not very impressed so far, but I'll probably finish it.

I did finish it. I probably shouldn't have bothered.

Then I read King Kobold Revived by Christopher Stasheff. The (revised) second volume in his 'Warlock in Spite of Himself' series. It was fun.

I followed that with a recent freebie, Twice as Dead by Harry Turtledove. This was a good urban fantasy with a hard-boiled detective.

And now I'm reading There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis. The latest in her Flavia Albia series. I'm enjoying this one a lot more than the previous one.