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

[DiapDealer]

Recently finished Josiah Bancroft's The Arm of the Sphinx — the second installment in his The Books of Babel series. It was OK. I think I'm probably supposed to be more enamored with the setting/trappings than I am. Still ... this was a much better paced book than the first, in my opinion. But there was a little too much "clever" diddling with POVs for my taste. Made things feel a little disjointed to me.

I think part of my issue with these books is a lack of "focus," as well. I wanted more Charley and Willy Wonka. I'm less interested in the motivations/back-stories of Violet, Augustus or the Oompa-Loompas (I'm not claiming there's any real comparisons to be made between these books and Charley and The Chocolate Factory; I just used it as an example).

Still, I'm amused enough to want to find out what happens next. I only hope it doesn't get dragged out for too many more books, though. I couldn't help but notice that the tease for the next book described it as "continuing" the story rather than "completing" it. I hope that's an oversight.

I'm now starting The Liberation — the third AND FINAL installment of Ian Tregillis' "The Alchemy Wars" series. I have high hopes for this one; as I loved the previous two.

[DrNefario]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Still, I'm amused enough to want to find out what happens next. I only hope it doesn't get dragged out for too many more books, though. I couldn't help but notice that the tease for the next book described it as "continuing" the story rather than "completing" it. I hope that's an oversight.

I'm pretty sure Bancroft has said it is planned as a quartet.

My own concern is that he doesn't seem to write that fast, especially for an indie.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I'm pretty sure Bancroft has said it is planned as a quartet.

Ahh ... perhaps I'll just hold off until the last two books are complete, then.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Next up: Death's End by Cixin Liu, the final book in the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy that starts with Three-Body Problem.

I was very pleased with this series as a whole and this book in particular. The middle book of the series wasn't quite as good as the other two but all three have made it onto my favorites list. If you want good, epic scoped science fiction that is a little different, I highly recommend this series.

Next up is The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu. I believe this is the first (full length) book he has had published ... except that he has translated several other books including the first and third books of the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy I just finished. I have high hopes given how much I enjoyed those two books in particular. (And because his previous short story, The Paper Menagerie, was the first work ever to win a Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award, I should probably try it at some point.)

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Currently reading Valor's Choice by Tanya Huff. I've not been a big fan of hers, but this series seemed like it might be something I'd enjoy. And so far, it is.

I'm also listening to an audio book, the latest Safehold, At the Sign of Triumph. Somehow, I'm finding Weber and Safehold much easier to swallow in Audible snippets. Especially since the reader, Oliver Wyman, is excellent.

Finished up Valor's Choice , and now have a collection of short stories by Laurie King, and the next in the Confederation series from Tanya Huff. Oh, and still slogging through Weber and Safehold.

[Nyssa]

I started the book We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson, last night. I may have spoiled a theme of the story, unfortunately, by looking at the shelves on which it was placed on GoodReads (so don't do that if you follow the link).

The chapters are rather short; I'm about to start chapter 8 but am only about 18% into the book.
What's grabbing me the most is how incredibly depressing this story has been so far.

So much so, that I also started reading A Yuletide Universe: Sixteen Fantastical Tales
by Brian M. Thomsen (Editor) in the hopes for a bit of cheer.

Unfortunately, I seem to have chosen the wrong collection for that task, as the first two stories were anything but cheerful.

[Fbone]

I selected The Icebound Land by John Flanagan, the third in the Ranger's Apprentice series.

This book follows Will and Evanlyn during their capture by the Skandians. Several actions by the main characters seemed too unrealistic. In fact, much of the story wasn't believable but it was fun and I just followed along. Hopefully, the next one will be more grounded. Rated C [3 stars].

Since my library had the next installment available, I'll continue with The Battle for Skandia.

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Finished up Valor's Choice , and now have a collection of short stories by Laurie King, and the next in the Confederation series from Tanya Huff. Oh, and still slogging through Weber and Safehold.

I've got the first three/four* Confederation books close at hand; they could be my next dead-tree reads. I've got some more ebooks ready to sideload, but my USB cable literally fell apart on me. (And I do mean literally - I noticed something strange about the cable, which turned out to be a crack in the insulation, and when I probed… Luckily, I have a replacement coming in tomorrow.) Those include three Seanan McGuire books I've been meaning to get to - Velveteen vs. the Seasons, Indexing: Reflections, and Every Heart a Doorway - as well as a Chuck Wendig book and the next novel and collection in Robert Bevan's "Critical Failures" series.

As for my current Ent-corpse progress, I'm slogging through the first of two books in Dayton Ward's The Last World War series. The book seems to have trouble deciding what it wants to be; the first half was a tight focus on reservist Marines versus aliens, but now it's zoomed out to the point that every chapter seems to be a few pages about a random new character encountering the invaders for the first time. The shoddy punctuation doesn't help, either. I intend to finish this book and its sequel, hopefully by the end of the year, but right now it's a grind. I hope the sequel is better.

* The first bound volume contains the first two novels, so whether you call my stash three or four "books" depends on how you define the term.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Dreams from my Father by Barak Obama.

I bought this earlier this year. I thought I ought to read it while he's still in office, although it was written before he was an elected politician of any kind.

An interesting and enjoyable memoir, covering his life, family and career up until the time of his marriage to Michelle (but nothing really concerning their meeting/courtship). Occasionally there are bits of purple prose, but nothing too awful. He very sensibly resisted the urge to edit his words when the book was reissued in 2004

Next up: Twelve from Tomorrow by E.C. Tubb. A set of SF short stories currently on offer at Amazon for £0.99.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I started the book We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson, last night. I may have spoiled a theme of the story, unfortunately, by looking at the shelves on which it was placed on GoodReads (so don't do that if you follow the link).

The chapters are rather short; I'm about to start chapter 8 but am only about 18% into the book.
What's grabbing me the most is how incredibly depressing this story has been so far.

So much so, that I also started reading A Yuletide Universe: Sixteen Fantastical Tales
by Brian M. Thomsen (Editor) in the hopes for a bit of cheer.

Unfortunately, I seem to have chosen the wrong collection for that task, as the first two stories were anything but cheerful.

I'm just past the halfway mark of We Are the Ants. It's a hard book to enjoy, but not to like. At times you feel like you need an emotional break, but at other times you just can't put it down.

As for A Yuletide Universe: Sixteen Fantastical Tales, it will definitely have to wait until after We Are the Ants.

[drjd]

Originally Posted by drjd

Next I plan to read Rasputin's Shadow by Raymond Khoury.

Finished Rasputin's Shadow by Raymond Khoury, yet another conspiracy theory interwoven in fast pace fiction by the author. Recommended.

Now I am taking up Eleven Days by Donald Harstad, another cozy mystery this time. Still not taking up any serious read as I am aware of another forthcoming journey very soon and I do not want to get distracted by the irregular life while reading anything serious.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Since my library had the next installment available, I'll continue with The Battle for Skandia.

This one was definitely better than the previous book in the series. Probably because it contained more battles and its strategies. It also finishes the story line started two books ago. I am on my library's waiting list for the next one. Hope it comes in soon. Rated B [4 stars].

Next is Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld the second in the Leviathan trilogy.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Twelve from Tomorrow by E.C. Tubb. A set of SF short stories currently on offer at Amazon for £0.99.

A fun mixture of SF from the 1960s. The prevalence of smoking is amusing. But the stories stand up rather well.

I have a feeling I must have read this in paper a long time ago.

Next up: not sure. I'll pick something this evening.

[Ravensknight]

Just finished the start to Lian Hearn's new series:

Emperor of the Eight Islands

3 of 5 Stars

[drjd]

Originally Posted by drjd

Now I am taking up Eleven Days by Donald Harstad, another cozy mystery this time. Still not taking up any serious read as I am aware of another forthcoming journey very soon and I do not want to get distracted by the irregular life while reading anything serious.

Completed Eleven Days by Donald Harstad, not a much encouraging read, but it was so so.

Next up, The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths, a crime fiction novel.