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

[Rumpelteazer]

Last night I finished An English Ghost Story by Kim Newman. A rather original ghost story. I loved the build up to the end. I have the first book in his Anno Dracula series, which has now climbed up my TBR list.

[Dhevi]

Originally Posted by Dngrsone

The first non-Lucas Star Wars novel, and one of my favorites.

I've had to pull my copy out a few times to show people that yes, this is a sequel to Star wars and Lucas did not steal the idea from Foster...

Finished.

An okay story, but I feel like the characterization's of Luke, Leia and even Darth Vader there in the end, were not in line with their characterizations from A New Hope.

Luke didn't come across as the naive farmboy from a backwater planet, and he was too quick to jump to killing/maiming those who opposed him.

Leia was too much of a hothead and was quick to jump to the uppity "Do you know who you are speaking to?" attitude.

Darth Vader, his little role in this book came off as all kinds of wrong to me. He seemed to take a perverse enjoyment from playing with/taunting Leia/Luke.

Now... what to read next.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Well, I seem to be on a Charlie Fox binge. I keep thinking I should read something else, but keep getting sucked in to the next one. I finished First Drop, #4 in the series, and the first in the omnibus Another Round of Charlie Fox. I would rate First Drop a bit below the two before it. I think the Florida venue didn't really fit all that well. On the other hand, I did it again and started the next, #5, Road Kill. I think I'm hooked.

Finished Road Kill, and very much enjoyed it. I'm definitely hooked, but I'm taking a break for a bit. I think I've overloaded.

Next up, the start of a complete re-read of the Liaden books, or at least the early ones in the timeline. Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon are already completed, and Balance of Trade is next up. As in previous reads, I am spotting new details missed before. And enjoying myself thoroughly. I decided to do the reread because we have a new batch of short works coming out ( A Liaden Universe Constellation) in a couple of days, plus I have the audio version of Dragon in Exile to read.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Next will be another recent purchase Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery set in Venice. This book brought back many great memories of my visit to the beautiful "Queen of the Adriatic." The author's description of the city is right-on and had me nodding throughout the book. "Yeah, So True, Absolutely." Her writing was concise and, at times, witty. The death was Agatha Christie-esque and so was its resolution but that took nothing away from this fine book. Written in the early 90s (as was my visit) it predates cell phones and Google. A nice change to the high-tech police procedurals we experience today. Rated B [4 stars]

Next is a library book Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix, the first in a YA sci-fi series.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Next is a library book Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix, the first in a YA sci-fi series.

This turned out to be only 153 pages so I was able to finish in one sitting. A sort-of near future world where population controls are in place ostensibly to prevent food shortages. Conspiracies abound. I did think the author had a slight agenda regarding current government policy which I'm not sure belongs in a book written for middle school children. Writing was competent and the main character was nicely fleshed out. This is the first of seven in the Shadow Children series. Rated C- [2 stars].

Next to be decided.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Into the Maelstrom by David Drake and John Lambshead. A sequel to Into the Hinterlands, set some years after the first book. Looking very good so far.

And very good it was, if you like that kind of Mil SF which I do. Unlike the first, clearly set up to have more novels in the series, since there are loose ends - the end of the book comes at a lull, not a conclusion.

Next up: High Wizardry, New Millennium Edition by Diane Duane. I think I'll enjoy this.

[Hampshire Nanny]

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

I'm now reading Kris Longknife: Furious by Mike Shepherd (aka Mike Moscoe).

Finished Furious and was a bit piqued that it just stopped. The crew is all dressed up with somewhere to go, so I need to get my hands on the next book to see what unfolds. In the meantime, I enjoyed reading the next In Death mystery, Fantasy in Death, by Nora Roberts writing as J D Robb.

Then I plunged into A Different Witch by Debora Geary, which I borrowed in June from the Kindle Lending Library. As soon as I finished reading it, I returned it and borrowed A Celtic Witch as my July selection. I'm enjoying this Modern Witch series very much. First off, the witches have discovered that technology, and particularly the Internet, is a new mystical "element" like the basics of earth, water, air, and fire. Some witches -- particularly those who are programmers -- have an affinity for tech and can work magic there. And, the stories are simply good. There's a bit of romance, but no explicit anything. There's wholesome family interaction including a great deal of humor in trying to keep a precocious 1 year old witchling from burning down her house as she explores her affinity for fire magic.

In A Different Witch, the families at Witch Central meet a young witch who comes to them for training. Beth simply doesn't fit in, which doesn't surprise her at all since she's struggled with her Asperger's all of her life. As she learns to trust her trainers and as they learn to respect that she approaches magic very differently, everyone grows a bit.

[wwefan]

Just finished reading Armada by Ernest Cline very much enjoyed it just like his previous book Ready Player One.Will read some new book later on.

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

Then I plunged into A Different Witch by Debora Geary, which I borrowed in June from the Kindle Lending Library. As soon as I finished reading it, I returned it and borrowed A Celtic Witch as my July selection. I'm enjoying this Modern Witch series very much. First off, the witches have discovered that technology, and particularly the Internet, is a new mystical "element" like the basics of earth, water, air, and fire. Some witches -- particularly those who are programmers -- have an affinity for tech and can work magic there. And, the stories are simply good. There's a bit of romance, but no explicit anything. There's wholesome family interaction including a great deal of humor in trying to keep a precocious 1 year old witchling from burning down her house as she explores her affinity for fire magic.

In A Different Witch, the families at Witch Central meet a young witch who comes to them for training. Beth simply doesn't fit in, which doesn't surprise her at all since she's struggled with her Asperger's all of her life. As she learns to trust her trainers and as they learn to respect that she approaches magic very differently, everyone grows a bit.

Sounds intriguing... I may check that out sometime in the future.

I've finished The Stone of Darkness by Resa Nelson; which took me a little while to get into... I was put off by the name of the bad guys; about halfway through, I got back into the groove and quickly blew through the fourth book in the series, The Dragon's Egg. The invader king was a bit over the top and idiotic... it's hard to imagine him actually winning and building an army considering his behavior through these books.

[DrNefario]

I've been reading The Governess by HRF Keating (writing as Evelyn Hervey). A murder mystery set in London in 1870 featuring (surprise!) a governess. I've quite enjoyed the setting, but I have a real problem with the mystery side of it. Basically there was an obvious suspect, who was ignored by the main character for no particularly good reason for the whole book, and who now seems to have been the murderer. Unless there's a really good twist in the last two chapters, I'll have to put it down as a disappointment. OK, I had missed part of the motive, but even so I expect more convincing misdirection.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: High Wizardry, New Millennium Edition by Diane Duane. I think I'll enjoy this.

I've also been reading the Jeeves and Wooster short story omnibus, The World of Jeeves, current a bargain in the UK at £1.99, being an omnibus of

Carry On, Jeeves,
The Inimitable Jeeves,
Very Good, Jeeves
and the short stories
'Jeeves Makes an Omelette'
and 'Jeeves and the Greasy Bird'.

Published by Random House/Cornerstone Digital, it appears to be the text of the 1966 edition, which contains the forward by PG Wodehouse from the 1931 edition with a postscript written in 1966.

[Rev. Bob]

I finished the Saving Mars books right before seeing Ant-Man tonight, and the series concluded with a bang. I'll put it this way: if I'd read the books six months ago, I would have nominated the series for a Best Novel Hugo without hesitation. As it stands, this is now my "Your teen likes SF? Give them THIS." recommendation. Excellent mix of science, romance, adventure, heroism... pretty much everything I want from a YA series, including a definite end.

HIGHLY recommended.

Oh: Ant-Man was decent, but I thought it relied too much on the Iron Man plot structure to really shine.

[cadele]

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

Then I plunged into A Different Witch by Debora Geary, which I borrowed in June from the Kindle Lending Library. As soon as I finished reading it, I returned it and borrowed A Celtic Witch as my July selection. I'm enjoying this Modern Witch series very much. First off, the witches have discovered that technology, and particularly the Internet, is a new mystical "element" like the basics of earth, water, air, and fire. Some witches -- particularly those who are programmers -- have an affinity for tech and can work magic there. And, the stories are simply good. There's a bit of romance, but no explicit anything. There's wholesome family interaction including a great deal of humor in trying to keep a precocious 1 year old witchling from burning down her house as she explores her affinity for fire magic.

In A Different Witch, the families at Witch Central meet a young witch who comes to them for training. Beth simply doesn't fit in, which doesn't surprise her at all since she's struggled with her Asperger's all of her life. As she learns to trust her trainers and as they learn to respect that she approaches magic very differently, everyone grows a bit.

Thank you! I have the first of these and will bump it up the TBR.

[cadele]

I am currently reading 'Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell' by Susanna Clarke.

Not a fast read but very enjoyable. It is not laugh out loud but is amusing, and I love the style of the writing.

I am about 30% through and can recommend.

[Rumpelteazer]

Yesterday I finish Raven Black by Ann Cleeves. It's the first book in the Shetland/Jimmy Perez series.

Raven Black begins on New Year’s Eve with a lonely outcast named Magnus Tait, who stays home waiting for visitors who never come. But the next morning the body of a murdered teenage girl is discovered nearby, and suspicion falls on Magnus. Inspector Jimmy Perez enters an investigative maze that leads deeper into the past of the Shetland Islands than anyone wants to go.

I liked the setting and the mystery. I'm not so sure about the characters. I felt I didn't get to know the main character, Jimmy Perez, very well. This is probably due to the fact that he can't decide whether to give up policing and return to his native island (I assume he won't).