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

[Adam Scribentis]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

It's been many a year, but I really enjoyed Frankenstein.

Same here, the best part of 40 years! One of the things that impressed me most about it was the Russian-doll-like stack of first-person narratives within first-person narratives.

[Solitaire1]

Legion of Super-Heroes #1
Creative Team: Writer - Joshua Williamson, Artist - Hayden Sherman, Colorist - Tamra Bonvillain, and Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhdou

It's a complete reboot of The Legion of Super-Heroes, and is an excellent read. It's the first time I've enjoyed an issue in years. Although there is much that has previously been used, they also have given us a new and fresh take on these characters. As an example, the Government requires that anyone who has super powers has to be registered with The Persuaders (the Police Force). It is also illegal for anyone who has powers to use those powers for crime fighting.

They also establish that what sets Earth apart from other planets is that while individuals on other planets have superpowers, they all have the same superpowers (Brall - Magnetism, Titan (a moon of Saturn) - Telepathy, Bismoll - Ability to eat anything). On Earth some people have a large variety of superpowers.

It begins with a murder mystery being investigated by Brainiac 5 (assumed name) and Tenzel (his bodyguard). The victim: J. R. Brande, one of the richest humans in the Galaxy.

This issue gave me hope that The Legion will finally return to greatness after decades of reboots and changes.

BTW: Alternate cover (the issue has an alternate cover covering the regular cover) contains another mystery: It shows Michael J. Fox coming out of a time machine like Marty McFly did on the poster for Back to the Future and it shows Fox and Superman standing back to back.

[DJUNGELSKOG]

I’m having a great time reading Dungeon Crawler Carl. My colleagues were raving about it so I decided to give it a chance, had to snipe it from a library in a different city but it was totally worth it!

[issybird]

I've finished Cool Machine, the third novel in Colson Whitehead's Harlem Trilogy. I thought the middle segment of this book dragged a bit as the protagonist was largely absent, but it was still a compelling conclusion to a terrific series.

[astrangerhere]

I'm reading some nice, challenging books right now in the lead up to my sabbatical next month.

• Kobo: A Century of Fiction in The New Yorker: 1925-2025 edited by Deborah Treisman - I am getting mired down in a number of stories in a row written by men who have since shown a lot of bad behavior and I am not one of those "separate the art from the artist" people. I just need to skip some of them to keep this moving.
• Kobo: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - a re-read along with my wife who has never read it before. We're on a chapter a day pace.
• Paperback: Riverwork by Lisa Robertson
• Hardcover: The 2024 edition of The Letters of Emily Dickinson edited by Christanne Miller and Domhnall Mitchell
• Audio/Library: Lives Like Loaded Guns: Emily Dickinson and Her Family's Feuds by Lyndall Gordon

[DiapDealer]

Currently listening to Carl Hiaasen's Razor Girl.

[John F]

I'm making my way through Assimov's Greater Foundation. I'm finally into thr "Foundation" part.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by issybird

I've finished Cool Machine, the third novel in Colson Whitehead's Harlem Trilogy. I thought the middle segment of this book dragged a bit as the protagonist was largely absent, but it was still a compelling conclusion to a terrific series.

I followed this up by finishing Lauren Groff’s book of shorts, Brawler, also published this year. Fantastic. So since maybe I’m on a roll with 2026 publications, I’ve moved on to Yann Martel’s Son of Nobody, a riff on the Trojan War. So far, so entertaining, although I’ll note that reviews at Goodreads are less than stellar.

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Currently listening to Carl Hiaasen's Razor Girl.

Glad you mentioned this. I needed something to listen to while sleepless, and Hiassen fills the bill marvelously. I’m going with Native Tongue; I’ve been listening to the Skink books out of order.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by issybird

Glad you mentioned this. I needed something to listen to while sleepless, and Hiassen fills the bill marvelously. I’m going with Native Tongue; I’ve been listening to the Skink books out of order.

I've only ever read Bad Monkey, but I watched the R.J. Decker series on Hulu. His characters may not always feel "real", but they are memorable, and they do make me me laugh. Razor Girl is no exception in that regard so far.

[Apache]

One of my favorite Hiaasen books is the first Mick Stranahan book Skin Tight.
One of the funniest characters does this.

Spoiler:

When the hit man replaces the arm he lost to a barracuda with a weed wacker.

Apache

[issybird]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I've only ever read Bad Monkey, but I watched the R.J. Decker series on Hulu. His characters may not always feel "real", but they are memorable, and they do make me me laugh. Razor Girl is no exception in that regard so far.

Hiaasen is a recent discovery. It’s not that I wasn’t aware of him; I didn’t think he was for me. I was wrong of course and now I have the pleasure of looking forward to his many books. But you’re right; while he’s amazingly inventive and hilarious, there’s a sameness to the books that probably wouldn’t wear well if I tried to binge. I’m not much of a binger in any case.

Originally Posted by Apache

One of my favorite Hiaasen books is the first Mick Stranahan book Skin Tight.
One of the funniest characters does this.

Spoiler:

When the hit man replaces the arm he lost to a barracuda with a weed wacker.

Apache

Noted with thanks. I see that the second Stranahan is also a Skink book, so I’ll slot this in soonish.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by issybird

But you’re right; while he’s amazingly inventive and hilarious, there’s a sameness to the books that probably wouldn’t wear well if I tried to binge. I’m not much of a binger in any case.

I used to be a binger, but I'm not much of one any more. I'm carefully doling his books out as well.

[vrnvctss]

Almost a quarter of the way through Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by issybird

Hiaasen is a recent discovery. It’s not that I wasn’t aware of him; I didn’t think he was for me. I was wrong of course and now I have the pleasure of looking forward to his many books. But you’re right; while he’s amazingly inventive and hilarious, there’s a sameness to the books that probably wouldn’t wear well if I tried to binge. I’m not much of a binger in any case.



Noted with thanks. I see that the second Stranahan is also a Skink book, so I’ll slot this in soonish.

I agree and do not read Hiaasen books back-to-back.
I have been reading or listening to the Nero Wolfe books in order, I am not bingeing them though. I only have 7 more to go.
Apache

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Apache

I have been reading or listening to the Nero Wolfe books in order, I am not bingeing them though. I only have 7 more to go.
Apache

I think Nero Wolfe is my favorite detective. And Michael Prichard as narrator is a near* perfect match for the material. (*His women's voices aren't quite there). I also have gone back and am very slowly working my way through the Wolfe books from the beginning; I'd read most of them but there are a few toward the end that will be new to me. Unlike most very long series, even the later books are mostly up to standard and some are among my favorites. The Doorbell Rang! That last scene....